In the world of folklore and fairytales, the most valuable treasures are guarded by the fiercest dragons. In other words, that which we most need will be found where we least want to look. Understandably, we want to avoid unpleasant feelings and use any number of strategies to try to numb ourselves from our pain. Yet, by doing so, we become fragmented and alienated from ourselves.  We forget who we are and feel lost. Sooner or later, we start to have trouble feeling truly joyful or connected to our lives, our relationships, and the very things that give us meaning and purpose.

Unfortunately, modern psychiatry and psychology are often ill-equipped to address these deeper issues of the human experience because they have largely become divorced from the very thing they were developed to study and treat—the psyche (the Greek word for soul). Thus, any treatment that endeavors to address one’s mental and emotional health to the exclusion of the soul will often prove inadequate. Consider, for instance, the fact that more people are engaged in therapy and taking psychotropic medications than at any other time in history; yet, statistics about mental health in the United States and throughout the West are abysmal. It’s hard to deny that we are in the midst of a mental health crisis. Depression is now the leading cause of disability worldwide. To me, this says that we have ignored our souls for far too long, and we’ve done so at our own peril. On the other hand, when we learn to align ourselves with our souls--that deep and abiding part of us which transcends our physical existence—we become our most authentic selves and have the lives that are uniquely fated for us. In short, we become the people we were meant to be. So, what is your soul crying out for? What is it trying to tell you?

I find that, more often than not, our dragons turn out to be our greatest teachers. I feel like my central role as a therapist is to be in service to my clients’ souls, to accompany them as they become deeply curious about their dragons and the treasures that have yet to be revealed. I work best with adult clients who do not want to ignore the deep callings of their souls and who want to awaken to a higher and richer way of being.