O seeker of things, do not content thyself to know things
as Nature ordinarily produces them. But rejoice to know
the origin of those things that are carved in thy spirit.
~ Leonardo da Vinci
WHAT IS PSYCHOTHERAPY AND WHY DO WE SEEK IT?
Often we seek psychotherapy when we hit a low point in our lives. We know we have talent and a profound love for life. We know we have good heads and good hearts. Yet, we feel so demoralized in our work and personal relationships we cannot distinguish ourselves from the pain we experience. We are thoroughly stuck.
Other times, we seek psychotherapy when we find ourselves at a crossroads. We want to move forward in our work and relationships but are unable to do so because of fundamental issues holding us back. Often these issues are our own assumptions about our talents, our past, and our life as a whole. We keep ourselves stuck without realizing it.
Psychotherapy is the process of inviting a psychotherapist to help you investigate the ways in which your mind, heart, body and spirit face the fluctuations of life. Your work takes place in an environment where you can experiment, succeed, fail, challenge your assumptions and engage in acts of exploration that take you deeply into yourself and the world around you. As you remove painful burdens, the therapist shows you how to locate what you value in life and to envision your goals. The therapist acts as a trained listener and guide, helping you to calm the clamor and confusion that sits in your head while starting to listen to the truth that sits in your heart.
Psychotherapy is also the means by which you can strengthen your courage and curiosity for creative exploration. You will find the desire to know truth, to let your questions live inside you until they open up like seeds. You will learn to move towards psychological freedom, to reverence all things in life with no dependencies on parents, teachers and leaders, your community, society or even religion. You will feel confident to pursue your own truth.
When the time comes for you to say good-bye to your therapist, you will have found a powerful sense of yourself and a solid, steady peacefulness in your day-to-day life. You will have developed a deep confidence and excitement for your work and relationships. Most of all, you will cherish the experience of living in your question, assured in your ability to find the answers already inside of you.