A Therapy Session

At the Therapist’s

What do people talk about in therapy?

Do you think therapy can help? Why/why not?
How do you think it might help?
What things might people want to change about their lives
or personalities?
Natalia’s Trip to the Therapist’s

I suppose my life is fine in general. I would only change a few things: I

sometimes wish I was more sociable, I can be very shy in social situations.
I was in a theatre group when I was a kid, if only I had continued doing
theatre, maybe I would be more confident now.

If only I didn’t have to work so much, then I could go back to university

and study something else. I wish I hadn’t studied marketing, my job is so
dull!

I guess my relationship with my boyfriend is ok. Occasionally I wish that

he would listen to me a bit more, sometimes it’s like talking to a brick
wall. I wish he wouldn’t spend so much time with his mates from football,
they’re a bad influence.
 Natalia

What problems does Natalia have?

What does she want to change about…
 Her personality?
 Her career?

 Her love life?

What do you think of Natalia’ situation? What do

you think she should do?
Natalia’s Trip to the Therapist’s

I suppose my life is fine in general. I would only change a few things: I sometimes
wish I was more sociable, I can be very shy in social situations. I was in a theatre
group when I was a kid, if only I had continued doing theatre, maybe I would be
more confident now.

If only I didn’t have to work so much, then I could go back to university and study
something else. I wish I hadn’t studied marketing, my job is so dull!

I guess my relationship with my boyfriend is ok. Occasionally I wish that he would

listen to me a bit more, sometimes it’s like talking to a brick wall. I wish he
wouldn’t spend so much time with his mates from football, they’re a bad influence.
Look at the underlines sentences, do they refer to:
a) A wish about the present
b) A wish about the past
c) A wish about another person’s bad habits
 Language Analysis

Look at the examples from the text, how do we construct the

sentences?
Present wishes:
I sometimes wish I was more sociable.
If only I didn’t have to work so much.
Past wishes:
If only I had continued doing theatre.
I wish I hadn’t studied marketing.
Wishes about other people’s bad habits:
I wish that he would listen to me a bit more
I wish he wouldn’t spend so much time with his mates from
football
 Language Analysis

Look at the examples from the text, how do we construct the

sentences?
Present wishes:
I sometimes wish I was more sociable. I wish/if only + past
simple
If only I didn’t have to work so much.
Past wishes:
If only I had continued doing theatre.
I wish I hadn’t studied marketing.
Wishes about other people’s bad habits:
I wish that he would listen to me a bit more
I wish he wouldn’t spend so much time with his mates from
football
 Language Analysis

Look at the examples from the text, how do we construct the

sentences?
Present wishes:
I sometimes wish I was more sociable. I wish/if only + past
simple
If only I didn’t have to work so much.
Past wishes: I wish/if only + past
If only I had continued doing theatre. perfect (had + past
participle)
I wish I hadn’t studied marketing.
Wishes about other people’s bad habits:
I wish that he would listen to me a bit more
I wish he wouldn’t spend so much time with his mates from
football
 Language Analysis

Look at the examples from the text, how do we construct the

sentences?
Present wishes:
I sometimes wish I was more sociable. I wish/if only +
past simple
If only I didn’t have to work so much.
Past wishes: I wish/if only + past
If only I had continued doing theatre. perfect (had/hadn’t +
past participle)
I wish I hadn’t studied marketing.
Wishes about other people’s bad habits:
I wish that he would listen to me a bit more
I wish he wouldn’t spend so muchItimewish/ifwith his
only + mates from
would/wouldn’t
football + verb in present
 Practice

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets:
1. I wish I __________(be) rich.
2. If only I __________ (have) green eyes.
3. I wish I __________ (study) more for the exam
yesterday.
4. If only my brother __________ (annoy) me so much.
5. I wish I ___________ (look like) Ariana Grande.
6. If only my teacher ____________ (give) me so much
homework.
7. I wish I ____________ (not eat) so much last night.
8. I wish I ____________ (can) turn invisible.
 Free Production

Write a short dialogue between a therapist and a very

unhappy patient. The patient should express their
wishes and the therapist should give advice.