THE REDEMPTIVE POWER OF PSYCHOTHERAPY

Until recently, seeking mental health assistance was considered a taboo within Greek society, and used to be treated with suspicion or reservation expressed with comments such as ‘I’m not crazy, problematic,’ etc. Nowadays, more and more people are turning to mental health professionals, not only in cases that a painful symptom such as phobia, depression, anxiety, etc. puts stress on their life, but also for managing important life relationships such as companionship, social, or professional relationships, relationships with the paternal family, or relationships with children.

Primarily, this is thanks to further knowledge available around mental health issues, with the contribution of writers from the field of mental health, whose work is widely acclaimed and has familiarized the psychotherapy / self-knowledge process with the general public. This fact has also helped eliminate taboos and demystify the identification of psychotherapy with disability.

This is also resulting, to an even higher degree from the fact, that despite the fact that today people have far more material goods and possibilities than ever before, the lack of satisfaction and joy in their life seems to be higher than ever. While the possibilities for a relationship or sex are easier than ever, the deadlocks and problems of relationships are also greater than ever. Restrictions that once could be considered to limit joy, today do not exist.

A usual reaction is to consider that the problems as well as the resulting discomfort are caused by others and their own behavior and mindset.

However, in case some problems and difficulties are repeated even though persons or relationships are changing, the focus on the behaviors or the reactions of others is not enough, ' palliative ‘or convincing any more.

Then, respective reasons are leading more and more to the need of seeking for answers and understanding from experts and psychotherapy. However, the expectations from the psychotherapy procedure are decisive as to whether the one who requests it will make the most of it / utilize it.

If the psychotherapist is considered as someone who will ally, relax or justify, if he will be the one to unload ¨ the tension, the anger or the frustration to, if he is to say what is desired to be heard instead of what has to be said , if he is expected to provide ready-made, easy and cost-free solutions and answers applicable as a pill or as a prescription (something that sells a lot), then quickly the one who requests help will be disappointed , since none of the above mentioned can facilitate and trigger substantial changes.

It is proved that even when given a specific suggestion as advice on what to do, in practice this is not achieved, not because it may not be right, but because no one can automatically change the way of acting, thinking and behaving. This is why people very often say “I know it, I understand it, but I cannot change it...". Achieving the aforementioned, can be the result of a process through which awareness is acquired.

The redemptive power of psychotherapy is based on the fact that someone starts understanding himself. What is causing, influencing, and determining his behavior and the way of communicating, favoring or allowing dysfunctions. Through this process he can see where, how and mainly why he reproduces or expresses reactions and behaviors. Consequently, he can gradually make changes leading to long term life changes.

Self-Knowledge and understanding, are the tools that "release" from repeats originating from the experiences of one's personal history. The redemptive power of psychotherapy lies in the fact that it is a life process. A revelatory process of "discovery” which becomes the tool through which life changes are incurred by humans themselves.