This post is part 1 of a series exploring the nature of what I call clinical wisdom and give concrete examples of some of these esoteric mysteries psychotherapy.
How much of what we call psychotherapy is about teaching or imparting certain esoteric and well-kept secrets about psychology, life, and how to best live it? What are some of these secrets? Where do they come from? How is such profound and transformative “clinical wisdom” transmitted from clinician to client or patient? These are tough questions. This is difficult because there are many (400 to 500) different types of psychotherapy used today with different approaches. goalstechniques and methods.
Most modern treatments are strictly symptom-based, while some treat the whole person (holistically) and encourage personal growth and, perhaps, spiritual development. And of course there are many and varied reasons why people seek psychotherapy in the first place, but for many it is a painful or debilitating existence. psychiatric signs and symptoms. (See my previous post.)
But if I can identify a major reason for the persistence and recent resurgence of psychotherapy as a practice and a profession, and a major reason that motivates someone to seek it out, it usually boils down to the following: the universal or archetypal experience of suffering and the problem of eternal evil. We may not fully understand what really drives us to seek psychotherapy, but deep philosophical, existential, and spiritual questions rumble from the bottom: Why do we suffer? Why is there evil in the world? Does life have a meaning? Is there free will? What am I responsible for in life? Why must we die? Is there anything but death? Why do I feel alone? Who I am? 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 a time of miraculous technological, scientific, and medical advances that allow us to live longer and better lives, to be in closer touch with others and world events, and to use modern marvels such as computers, cell phones, televisions, the Internet, GPS, and more. AI; but, at the same time, we find ourselves in an unprecedented period of despair, anger, hostility, hatred, chaos, alienation and confusion. Twenty-first century existence is becoming more complex, stressfuland difficult to manage. Racismsexism, misogyny, genocide, antisemitism, fascism, terrorism, mass shootingspolitical enmity and, in general, human bad– an archaic concept used by some psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists and the public. harmful attitudes and actions that promote excessive interpersonal relationships aggressionviolence and disregard for the rights of others– is growing at an alarming rate around the world. As CG Jung (1961) prophetically observed, “Evil has become a decisive reality. It can no longer be removed from the world by walking around it. We must learn to control it because it is here to stay. How we can live with it without dire consequences is inconceivable today.”
Consequently, our collective mental health suffers. These are chronic traumatic conditions have a devastating effect on the psyche, soul and spirit. The number of serious psychiatric disorders is increasing. Suicide In the US, rates have increased by 25% over the past two decades. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, more than 44 million Americans suffer from serious psychiatric symptoms. depressionPanic attacks, generalized worry, bipolar disorderand psychosis. These staggering statistics exclude an additional 20 million people living with substance use disorders. Indeed, we remain in the relentless grip of the opioid abuse epidemic, which is evidenced by the futile and dangerous desire for anesthesia (through substance use, alcoholismbehavioral or food-related problems or sex or technology) to avoid our psychological suffering and harsh existential reality at all costs.
People become depressed, sad, lose their way, and find meaning in their lives, purpose and meaning, peace of mind, self-esteemsafety, belonging, power, recognition and significance, and discovering new and more constructive ways of dealing with the disturbing and dangerous changes in post-pandemic existence. But, unfortunately, they rarely have the necessary skills, tools and knowledge to do it on their own. Yet, as I point out in my new book, there is. What I call “clinical wisdom,” painstakingly collected, preserved, corrected, and protected by countless psychotherapists over the past century, is a vast treasure that is so necessary in our time and so precious to be kept secret.
Psychotherapy –therapeutic treatment of mental illness, existential suffering, and human misery using psychological methods and, perhaps surprisingly for some, defined more meaningfully such as healing the soul or mind– has been used in one form or another by medical and mental health professionals around the world for over a century. Since the famous Viennese doctor Sigmund Freudthe undisputed father of modern psychotherapy, first introduced the revolutionary “talking cure” and controversial treatment method.psychoanalysis“Generations of psychotherapy patients have acquired a rich and diverse body of clinical wisdom aimed at alleviating, or at least alleviating, their suffering and setting them on a path to healing and wholeness. Yet, for the most part, it remains mysterious and enigmatic.
Of course, the theory and practice of psychotherapy has evolved dramatically since Freud’s time, but all these changes have increased the variety, breadth, richness, mystery, and complexity of the powerful clinical wisdom it can convey. Especially in the past decade and beyond COVID 19 During the pandemic, the prevalence and availability of psychotherapy increased significantly. As for 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 exceed $65 billion annually. Psychotherapy has become big business. This is because now more than ever we need the encouragement, insight, and inspiration that psychotherapy’s collected clinical wisdom can provide.. As Jung (1961) himself succinctly put it: “We need psychology (and psychotherapy) today for reasons related to our existence.” His words are doubly true in these deeply troubling, terrifying and trying times.
In fact, despite the dubious trends of recent decades, surface neurobiological, pharmacological and cognitive-behavioral Approaches to understanding and treating psychiatric illness and, indeed, the elimination or mechanization of therapy, there remains a deep, pervasive, and tangible personal and collective hunger for true psychological, philosophical, and spiritual guidance, knowledge, and wisdom. We need to recognize this pervasive psychological, philosophical, and spiritual longing for meaning and purpose, this festering disease of the soul that we suffer individually and collectively today, and provide psychotherapy with the pragmatic clinical wisdom to help restore our spirit, strengthen ourselves, and maintain our sanity in a sometimes maddened world.
