Psychotherapy and spirituality can have areas of overlap, or none at all depending on your beliefs. There are times I feel psychotherapy and what is called “spiritual” might be part of one another. Both deal with human emotion, painful aspects of living, and longings of heart and soul. I feel a similar seeking in both. I continue to be enriched by many lineages, including Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Sufism, Hinduism, Kabbalah, as well as relational psychoanalysis and depth psychological traditions. As one who is pluralistic and ecumenical, I respect whatever your particular belief or non-belief might be.
I grew up in a very diverse household. My mother started out as a Mid-Western Presbyterian yet took my siblings and me to many different houses of worship as we grew up. She sought out diverse traditions: from Unitarian Universalist to J. Krishnamurti. My father had an interest in Vedanta and was a stronger supporter of Gandhi and Nehru during the 1940s. Yet he was equally taken with the likes of Edgar Casey and things mystical. I grew up in a neighborhood where most of my friends were Jewish.
I do not adhere to any particular conception of god or divinity. I favor the bumper sticker that says: “God is too big to fit into any one religion.” For many people the idea of a biblical or literal God may seem neither relevant nor believable today. For others, the natural world and our earth itself (Gaia) express a primordial sense of divinity. When Carl Jung was asked about his belief in God, he answered in terms of a personal “deep knowing.”
Psychotherapy is often described as secular, and much human suffering is about losing feelings of aliveness, early wounding, or missing a fuller sense of yourself. There are times our feelings of agony and hopelessness become large enough that we seek help from those who have also lived with inner loss and damage, and who are practiced at navigating the inevitable trauma-rhythms of life.
Whether you embrace or reject, believe or disbelieve in something religious or spiritual… I remain open and accepting. My job is not to persuade you about anything, but to honor your particular path and calling, to listen creatively to your struggles, and help you find your way through obstacles and conflicts that bring you to seek consultation. Through our sessions together, my hope is we might discover what prevents adding better quality to your life. Therapy offers a chance to grow greater capacities for engaging yourself, your emotions and feelings of being alive in life… even during our difficult times… and even while living a difficult life.