The Therapeutic Journey

Many people have misconceptions and reservations about therapy, but knowing what to expect in general can ease anxiety and make the therapeutic process smoother and more effective.

The therapist is not a wizard, although he turns insight into wisdom that can be utilized~
An educated, skilled and compassionate therapist can reveal hidden blocks and causes for our suffering. He can put things together in a way that makes sense and removes some of the mystery. He can help us work through our issues and learn new ways of participating more productively in our lives. It takes two to make the process work, however. The therapist cannot wave a magic wand and make all of our troubles disappear. But knowledge, awareness and free will are powerful elements at the individual's disposal, and it is up to us to utilize them and practice what we've learned.

There is no magic pill that will take away all of life's troubles, but perspective and awareness can bring about remarkable change~
Therapy can last from a few sessions to several years, and it is always the client's choice whether or not to continue the therapeutic experience for his/her ongoing benefit. But rather than "fixing problems", the therapist is more of a facilitator of "growth", because working through one's issues, while it takes some effort, is how we learn to improve our lives ourselves. As for the "one-time quick fixes" we all hope for, they do happen in therapy, but true healing and progress usually requires more of an ongoing process. And while the therapist sees the big picture, the client must ultimately translate the newfound information and perspective into positive, self-affirming action.

There are occasionally going to be some surprises~
The "Therapeutic Journey " can be unpredictable at times, revealing things that may be hard to accept. Therefore, it will take time and patience to build from there. Sometimes the horizon that seems to be just ahead is actually much farther than we think, or once one obstacle is removed, another sprouts up. Surprises always await in life, and therapy is no different. But if we utilize the process well, we will return home better for the experience and more open to personal and interpersonal assistance in the future.

We may at times feel weak but the therapist's goal is to empower us~ Attending therapy can be like setting out on the open road. You don't know exactly what's ahead, it requires some courage, but you learn some interesting things about yourself along the way. In therapy, however, the therapist is a constant partner in our adventure who believes in the process and is guiding us to safety.

Therapists themselves are usually on a therapeutic journey~ We are all human and we all have our struggles throughout life. Therapists are simply more accustomed to the therapeutic process and see it as a healthy part of life. Some seek guidance on a regular basis while others go for specific challenges, just like the rest of us. But the compassion they have comes from knowing firsthand how bittersweet life can be. The real therapeutic journey is about soul making and soul retrieval.

What it means to be a Patient and Client at Middle Way Health~ Based on the medical model of therapy, an individual who partakes in this kind of psychological process is considered a "patient", with the word patient implying unhurried and tolerant. At Middle Way Health, however, we also consider our patients "clients", because it empowers the individual who partakes in this kind of inner journey. Therefore, we embark on the adventure together, both enduring and proactive. A patient becomes a client in some sense when they fully participate in their therapeutic process, and part of the process includes learning to balance the active and receptive parts of the journey.