This post is part 1 of a series exploring the nature of what I call clinical wisdom and concrete examples of some of these esoteric secrets psychotherapy.
How much of what we call psychotherapy is about teaching or imparting esoteric, well-kept secrets about psychology, life, and how best to live it? What are some of these secrets? Where do they come from? And how exactly is such profound and transformative “clinical wisdom” transferred from the clinician to the client or patient? These are difficult questions. It is difficult because there are so many (400 to 500) different types of psychotherapy that operate today with different approaches. goalstechniques and methods.
Most modern therapies focus strictly on symptoms, while some are more about treating the whole person (comprehensively) and promoting personal growth and possibly, spirituality development And, of course, there are many, many different reasons why people seek psychotherapy in the first place, although for most it is its painful or debilitating presence. mental signs and symptoms. (Look at me previous post.)
But if I could pin down the main reason for the continued existence and recent resurgence of psychotherapy as a practice and a profession, and what drives one to seek it out, it generally boils down to this: the universal or archetypal experience of suffering and the perennial problem of evil. We may not fully understand what really drives us to seek psychotherapy, but beneath the surface are deep philosophical, existential, and spiritual questions: Why do we suffer? Why is there evil in the world? Does life have meaning? There is free will? What am I responsible for in life? Why do we have to die? Is there anything but death? Why do I feel so alone? who am i Why am I here? What is my purpose or importance? What do I really want and how can I get it?
Not only are we now in an age of miraculous technological, scientific, and medical advances that allow us to live longer and better lives, be more connected to others and world events, and enjoy modern marvels such as computers, cell phones, television, the Internet, GPS, and more. AI; but at the same time we find ourselves in an unprecedented period of despair, anger, enmity, hatred, chaos, alienation and confusion. 21st century existence is becoming more complex. stressand difficult to manage. Racismsexism, immorality, genocide, antisemitism, fascism, terrorism, mass shootingpolitical and human enmity in general bad– an archaic concept that is reused by some psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists and public references. those harmful attitudes and actions that promote excessive interpersonal relationships aggressionviolence and disregard for the rights of others– is growing alarmingly all over the world. As CG Jung (1961) presciently noted, “Evil has become a defining reality. It can no longer be removed from the world by turning around. We must learn to deal with it because it is here to stay. How we can live with it without dire consequences is for now unimaginable.”
As a result, our collective mental health suffers. These are chronic vulnerable conditions do devastating damage to the mind, spirit and soul. The incidence of serious mental illness is on the rise. Suicide it has increased by 25 percent in the last two decades in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, more than 44 million Americans suffer from some type of serious mental illness, such as depressionpanic attacks, general anxiety, bipolar disorderand psychosis. This staggering statistic excludes an additional 20 million living with substance use disorders. Indeed, we remain in the grip of a runaway opioid abuse epidemic fueled by the futile and dangerous desire for anesthesia (through the use of substances, alcoholismdysfunction or problem behavior around food or sex or technology) of our psychological suffering and escape the harsh existential reality anyway.
People are depressed, sad, lost and desperate to understand their life, purpose and meaning, peace of mind, self-esteemsecurity, belonging, power, recognition and significance, and discovering new and more creative ways of dealing with the disturbing and dangerous evolution of post-pandemic existence. But unfortunately, they have very few skills, tools and knowledge to do this on their own. However, there is, as I argue in my new book, the vast treasure of what I call “clinical wisdom,” painstakingly collected, preserved, organized, and preserved by countless psychotherapists over the past century, is too necessary in our time and therefore too precious to remain secret.
Psychotherapy –therapeutic treatment of mental disorders, existing suffering and human misery using psychological methods and, perhaps surprisingly for some, more meaningful as healing of the soul or mind— has been practiced in one form or another for over a century by medical and mental health professionals around the world. Since the famous Vienna physician Sigmund FreudThe undisputed father of modern psychotherapy, he first introduced “talk therapy” and the controversial treatment method that he “psychoanalysis,” generations of psychotherapy patients have been familiar with a rich and varied body of clinical wisdom aimed at alleviating, or at least alleviating, their suffering and putting them on the path to healing and wholeness. Yet, for the most part, it remains enigmatic and mysterious. And what happens in psychotherapy?
True, the theory and practice of psychotherapy has evolved significantly since Freud’s time, but all these changes have only added to the richness, breadth, richness, mysticism, and complexity of the powerful clinical wisdom it can convey. During the last ten years, especially during and after that COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence and availability of psychotherapy has increased dramatically. And in terms of how psychotherapy is provided now, in 2025, the global use of online video therapy—a relatively recent development in the delivery of psychotherapy services that has become popular during the pandemic—will likely exceed $65 billion annually. Psychotherapy has become big business. This is because now more than ever we need the encouragement, insight, and inspiration that the accumulated wisdom of clinical psychotherapy can provide.. As Jung himself (1961) succinctly put it, “Today we need psychology (and psychotherapy) for reasons that involve our existence.” His words resonate doubly in these very turbulent, scary and troubled times.
In fact, despite the dubious trends in recent decades towards superficial neurobiological, pharmacological and cognitive-behavioral approach to the understanding and treatment of mental illness and, in fact, the misunderstanding or mechanization of therapy, there remains a deep personal and collective hunger for real psychological, philosophical and spiritual guidance, knowledge and wisdom. We must recognize this powerful psychological, philosophical, and spiritual longing, this intense desire for meaning and purpose, this suppressed mental illness that we individually and collectively suffer from today, and offer pragmatic clinical wisdom in psychotherapy to restore our spirits, strengthen our egos, and maintain our sanity in a sometimes crazy world.
