Spirituality can mean different things for different people, and I welcome all beliefs into my practice. I do not impose my beliefs on clients, but for clarity’s sake, I use the word ‘spiritual’ to refer to the element in ourselves and in life that is at once beyond rational comprehension and also deeply felt by us all - the mystery which connects all of existence. A spiritual approach to therapy is about reconnecting the person with their inherent divinity, or in more secular terms, their inherent beauty. It is also about learning to recognize the truth of our interconnectedness: when we are wounded, we go into self-protective modes that isolate us from others. We can become jealous, bitter, ashamed - all of these are states that have forgotten the truth of our unaloneness and worthiness. Rediscovering the spiritual aspect of who we are happens in the present moment, when we can feel into the silent, steady place in ourselves that is untouched by ideas about who we are supposed to be and what we ‘should’ be doing. This is the place that clients can gradually make more contact with over the course of therapy. Some people simply call it love.

Connecting with the spiritual is also about developing trust in what will be; we do not have control over every aspect of our lives, and we must come to accept this fact. When we surrender to the Great Unfolding (whether you believe this unfolding is guided by the hand of God, or simply by cause and effect) we can begin to grieve that which we have lost, let go of perfectionism, see challenges as opportunities for growth, and get in touch with a sense of abundance in our lives.