I Know The Way Out!

Over the years, when I consider how I might accomplish helping people heal in therapy, I'm reminded of a story.

A guy falls into a deep hole. He starts yelling for help. Soon, a doctor passes by and hears his anguished cry. The doctor looks at the hole, writes an Rx prescription and throws it to the guy below, and walks away. Then, a priest arrives and he peers into the hole. Seeing the man below, the priest writes out a prayer and throws it down before walking away.

The desperate guy below starts yelling louder. Soon, his friend comes by and hears, "Hey, Peter, help me. I'm down in this hole." So Peter jumps down into the hole too. "What have you done?" our desperate guy complains. "Now, we both are stuck down here!" "Yeah," says Peter calmly, "but I've been down here before and I know the way out."

Yes! And I do too. I do, not because I'm smarter or more skilled than any one else. I confess that I know the way out because I fell harder before and I believe much deeper than most people do. Perhaps, my only salvation was that I yelled longer and harder for help than most hurt people do. I know what it is like.

I know the way out. So, if you're going to see me and follow me out through the sessions, you are going to understand. It's one-on-one between you and me. I'll spare you nothing because the only way I got free was to be spared nothing by truth and people who cared for me.

I know. And I care for you.