Wm. James, quoted in Courage to Create by Rollo May

Generally when we reflect on our lives and see where we are, we can sense that an emerging energy from the past oftentimes has brought us to where we are today. We can generally trace events, special tipping points, and influential people who have contributed to our present situation. When we sometimes have one of those “ah! ha!” moments, we may realize that something has really been seething within our hearts, our souls, and our spirits quite sometime.

We can live in mystery and fascination each and every day relishing the experiences that influence us and the choices we have made and continue to make. As we reflect on these events, we can search for their impact and their meaning in our lives.

Therapy has the potential to help us name our experiences; put them in context; and see what meanings come to mind. Therapy can give us direction and open doors more fully to achieve a deeper sense of self. We can shape our lives to live even more authentically with a sense of confidence—in congruence with what we really want to do. Therapy can helps us to make more of a difference in this world and in the life of people around us.

A client recently told me that therapy is different than just talking to family members, a next door neighbor, or our friends. Therapy helps us understand ourselves more thoroughly and can give us a direction for what we need to do to move beyond our limits. Therapy can be such a positive influence that it can work on us and feed us many months down the road or even years later. it can strengthen us at a very deep level and let us keep learning new things about ourselves. It can help us to relate even more effectively with others; giving us deep connections, deep friendship, and deep love for others. It is not only for those who have mental issues but for all of us who want to make the most of our lives! We often can move beyond out self-imposed limits.