The Goal of Therapy

Photo by Soulsana

Most of us in clinical practice have found ourselves in projected roles given us by our patients: parent, friend, confidant, guide. What these roles have in common is the expectation of a certain level of emotional intimacy, and with that, the assumption that interactions lead to expeditious resolution. When they don’t, patients may feel let down, as if a promise has been broken.

I understand. We all want to feel taken care of, naturally. However, the goal of therapy is not for the therapist to assume the role of Yoda. Just because the therapist is sitting in the other chair does not mean that he or she is automatically imbued with wisdom. We don’t have all the answers. What we do have is a process for facilitating self-discovery that will hopefully enrich your life in the long run. The goal of therapy, ultimately, is for you to make a fundamental shift. It is for you to internalize what you have learned, so that even when you are not in therapy anymore, you can remain unfazed and able to tackle whatever comes your way.