A new year. A new beginning. A continuation of supporting people in their growth and healing… Happy New Year, friends!
Near the end of 2022, we invited our greater community of therapy professionals to offer reflections on a simple, yet profound question – a question that is professional and personal, intellectual and spiritual:
How do you sustain hope and resilience?
We were moved and inspired by the artistic and editorial submissions for our annual Wise Therapy Spotlight publication. Throughout the coming weeks and months, we will be sharing those pieces chosen for publication in the December 2022 edition here in our blog.
We invite you to download the full PDF publication here:
Wise Therapy Spotlight December 2022 Issue
To start 2023 off together in harmony with our focus on supporting therapists in your important work of sustaining hope and resilience in the world, we offer this Wise Therapy Spotlight published poem by Cheryl G. Pajo, followed by the 2022 edition Note From the Editors. May your year be one of hope and resilience, and personal and professional dreams fulfilled.
We Heal In Love Together
by Cheryl G. Pajo
This audacity I effuse, boldly refraining from looking away—
Daring to compassionately bear witness to what’s breaking my heart.
In this childlike presence, submerged in The Mother’s bosom, she asked,
“What is love asking of you right now?”
These ashes from numerous individualized traumas,
Ancestral wounds and collective suffering—
Transmuted into prolifically aromatic,
Magnanimous seeds of love—
Transmitting from my distinct vibrations,
Aligned with Creation.
Graciously extending this open invitation
To walk alongside you on this sacrosanct sojourn
As we aggregate our fragmented parts
Into our path back home to wholeness.
This intrepid heartening for us to
Trustingly feel the pain with kindness Imbued with fierce compassion
Observe the existential suffering
As we consciously continue to live and love
Beloved, we heal in love together
Soothing each other’s wounds
Transfigured by our brokenness
Emanating light with our sacredness.
Thank you Cheryl for your beautiful submission.
Academy of Therapy Wisdom Wise Therapy Spotlight 2022: NOTE FROM THE EDITORS
There’s a saying that true leaders are merchants of hope, inspiring people to create a new future.
In Peter Barraclough’s essay (page 9) about his recovery from a stroke, he reminds us that Dick Schwartz — founder of IFS — says, “therapists need to be merchants of hope.”
How is that for a job title?
As merchants of hope, we help our clients resolve past traumas, emotional difficulties, and negative beliefs. We help develop present awareness and assist in creating a new future. We bring enough hope that clients can find their own strength, resilience and self-trust again.
This is a time in history when we all need the most resilient mental, spiritual, and physical bodies. Relying on the wisdom of the collective, we asked our community this year:
How do you sustain hope and resilience?
Insights in the form of words and images emerged. We received over 50 submissions of essays, poems, photographs, and original artwork. So many unique and powerful perspectives were shared.
In this year´s publication, you will find work by 15 of your colleagues, organized in no particular order. Feel free to download the publication and read cover to cover, or skip to an essay or image that catches your imagination. We hope you will find them as inspiring as we do.
NaKaisha Tolbert-Banks (page 2) states, “Resilience is a warrior title.” And we couldn’t agree more.
We are grateful to our community of therapists, healers and changemakers, and are pleased to present the 2022 Wise Therapy Spotlight. May it be of benefit.
Brian Spielmann & Ian McPherson
Co-directors, Academy of Therapy Wisdom
[Click to Download] Wise Therapy Spotlight December 2022 Issue
