What is psychotherapy?
You have probably tried to take care of the problem yourself. You might have tried self-help or meditation or self-medicating or various techniques to get rid of the problem. Maybe you tried talking to a friend, a partner, a clergyman, or you got some good information from the internet. Maybe you have prayed. You might even have gone to a doctor and received a diagnosis and a prescription.
Some of these may very well have helped, and yet something continues to undermine all your best efforts. Even good information doesn’t seem to be enough. The same old feeling haunts you, the same pattern keeps returning. To complicate matters, you might secretly worry about going to a therapist: “What if I find out there really is no hope for me?”
People carry far more suffering alone than they need to.
A problem brings you to therapy—often, a symptom you’d like to be rid of. But symptoms are rarely the whole story. More often than not—sometimes surprisingly—we discover that the problem was born within a personal relationship.
Psychotherapy is a particular kind of relationship structured specifically to resolve this kind of problem. It uses the method of dialogue to cultivate awareness. It is awareness that helps remove the hidden obstacles to natural healing.
But here is what information and awareness alone cannot provide: Now, you have a seasoned guide to move through the process with you—patiently, honestly, without condemnation. This is the heart of psychotherapy.