Psychology is so often reduced to a set of behaviors and conditioning. It is easy to forget that even the term Psychology comes from the Greek meaning, study of the soul. As a Therapist the challenge of finding balance between a given set of circumstances and the true wellbeing of an individual is always at steak. It is easy to put the problem at the forefront and to offer fixes. “So you’re unhappy? Change your circumstance and your feelings will follow…” The circumstance is always present and if we are talking about simply retraining responses to a set of stimuli then of course there will be a pragmatic element. That’s a given. In regards to true Soul Care we are often left speechless. This goes far beyond the realm of normal cognitive restructuring. We are asking a question central to each and every person and in my opinion this is why it is one that often discourages the care giver from truly diving into this area of Counseling. It is no secret that many of us stumble into the career of Counseling because we have sorted backgrounds that set the stage for us to care for others in similar positions. We can relate and in some unhealthy cases you will find counselors that will sort out their own issues in front of their clients. This tells us that the challenge of soul care is an issue because we as therapists often don’t know how to care for our own souls. It is easy to become hardened and jaded in this line of work. You will sit for hours a day listening to the struggles of others, pouring your thoughts, reflections, and even your heart into sessions. It is an amazing profession, but one that can quickly take its toll on the heart of the counselor. The idea of giving steps and quick solutions for behavior becomes a way of containing the magnanimity of what we see each day. If there is a problem that we can reduce to steps it feels manageable and manageable seems like a great option. By all means we want to help our clients manage their lives and situations this almost goes unsaid, but is that all? The art of counseling is about so much more than that. The art of true soul care must be developed in the heart of the caregiver first before it can be offered to those around them. This is something, for the caregiver that cannot be developed in the counseling room with a client. It is a grace that one learns to offer one’s self over time. With so many sorted backgrounds in our profession we are often the first to miss our own advice. I say this not as condemnation but maybe even as an admission of my own guilt in the matter. I find myself so often pushing to find answers, solutions for the things that torcher my soul at its depths but that is often where the journey ends. I busy myself with paperwork, responsibilities, goals etc… It is hard to stop my own distraction. I have truly learned the art of avoidance, avoidance of the voice of the soul.
In many ways we are all there. The journey is one that started at birth and will continue til death. Shakespeare said it this way, “to thine own self be true”. The verbage suggests a continual process. “Be” true. The journey of soul care begins with learning to be. There are times that I find myself an infant in this art. My desire as a counselor is growing to be one that looks more like a co-journeyer on the path to soul care. It offers hope not just to the immediate situation but also for situations to come. In the coming months I will continue this conversation and would as always love your thoughts and feedback.
jason
