Looking Through More Than One Window

BY Arlene Harder, MA, MFT

This picture from the small mountain village of Gauda, Switzerland, is a fitting illustration for anyone entering therapy.

You see, we all live, metaphorically speaking, in a house that has windows facing in each direction. North. South. East. West. Yet we will usually have a favorite window through which we view the world, let's say the one that shows us the territory to the north. Of course, we may sometimes look through another window, perhaps the one that faces east, but we tend to ignore the others. We may even forget they are there.

However, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, personal coaches, nutritional consultants, and counselors who follow a variety of techniques encourage us to look through new windows. That doesn't mean that the view from the window or windows we've been using is wrong. It just means that sometimes we need a little help to look in a new direction and discover life offers many more choices than we previously thought.

This picture also demonstrates an essential characteristic of someone who hopes to get the most from therapy. You must be willing to open the shutters of your mind and allow light to flood inside. In this way you can better see what is inside your inner world and explore nooks and crannies that have been hidden, but often contain great gems of strength and wisdom. In addition, by keeping the shutters open, you can look through the open windows to notice what "out there" might attract your attention and give meaning to your life.