My philosophy is that it doesn’t really matter so much which thing is true and which isn’t, but that you can do a lot of good for yourself and the people around you if you consider what is useful.

If thinking about it in terms of God already being proud of her while knowing that she still has work to do helps this woman to heal and get to her best place in life - materially, socially, mentally, spiritually… then, you or I can add to the good available out there somewhere in the world by helping her to see it.

That’s what therapy does.

Good therapy, anyway.

It gets on your level.

It understands you.

It accepts you… using some mental strategy or another. 

(I’m going to be talking with you about logical strategies to achieve penetrating psychological acceptance over the coming months).

Therapy looks for a path that will lead you to a brighter place.

It troubles itself to figure out how to best show you the path to that bright place and motivate you to pursue it.

Amelia and I have talked a lot about how we both feel the role I play here online with you men is what we might consider “pre-therapy.”

This is the step before therapy.

“Right,” Amelia said, in that conversation. “Therapy is for when they want it a little more in-depth.”

“That, and when they want it personalized by an educated professional to comprehend their unique life and mechanisms,” I said.

“Right… you’re talking more to an audience rather than one on one.”

“A specific audience, but yes… and then when they need something a little more in-depth and molded to them and their exact experience, they go to therapy.”

Because.

Therapy is awesome.

…but we can stay and talk here for a while, first, if you like.

Welcome to The Therapist’s Couch.