It was used simply because the student-clinician was a professional juggler. Prior to entering graduate school, he had spent ten years performing in revue shows in Atlantic City and at various locations around the country. Woody Starkweather stressed that this clinician should allow his clients to truly get to know him. The student-clinician felt that juggling would be a great way to establish therapeutic relationships. In actuality, juggling is not entirely without therapeutic merit.
Jugglers attempt to make the complicated look natural.
They become intimate with small failures in the form of drops and strive to learn from these minor setbacks. A juggler who never drops is a juggler who never pushes his own limits and never takes risks. Jugglers also become familiar with the process of learning. They are trained to break things down and to analyze the component parts. For example, when learning to juggle, you should always begin with one ball.