My understanding and relationship with the process of psychotherapy is to make the unconscious—conscious (Cortright, 2015). Spirituality does this through love, while psychotherapy goes into how the heart is closed and works with the defenses.

 

 My work and training serving juveniles moving through the justice system, individuals and couples in a community mental health setting, and victims of domestic violence and human trafficking have given me great insight on how the process of human existence occurs almost indefinitely within patterns throughout our lives both literally and figuratively. Further, since such a small portion of our brain rests in a conscious state, much of our existence is operating on subconscious and unconscious levels. Through psychotherapy we can unlock ways of being in these patterns that may have internalized in forms that we are not able to be aware of without the facilitation of someone who understands this.

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This is where one of the most crucial, if not thee most crucial element of psychotherapy comes in—the relationship—the someone who understands this part. It is the relationship with someone who is willing to “go there” with you who will have an opportunity to help one change the way they “relate” to their experience, their way of being. "It is the relationship that heals" Dr, David Yalom.