Many may believe that psychotherapy is about training. No, it is about healing. In this regard, there are many training pathways – via medicine, via psychology, via social work, via religious or secular counselling, via native healing- all can lead one to the profession of psychotherapy. Thus, psychotherapy is beyond a specific training model; it is best defined as a calling. It is a unique profession that addresses and heals emotional suffering. As outlined in our position paper presented at the United Nations (UN) in 2005, “freedom from emotional suffering” is our goal. It is a psychotherapeutic process that occurs between a trained listener and a wounded soul.
It is a journey that allows the individual to discover his or her unique resilience and to reconnect with the world. Historically, in the USA, the practice of psychotherapy came into prominence after World War II, when there were so many wounded people. It has evolved, but not always flourished, over the last 70 years. Yet, psychotherapy has prevailed and we, as psychotherapists, have prevailed. Many challenges, however, lie ahead. We must face them with energy, with hope, and with flexible resolve. We must embrace change and evolve so that those who need to be freed from emotional suffering can prevail.
