Soul Therapy

Dr. Rajesh Bhola
India
Nov 23, 2012

I have spent most of my adult life working as a social worker and a psychotherapist. In this role I have been in an advantaged position to listen to people’s stories. As hundreds have shared the reality of their lives, I have gradually come to understand and appreciate the relevance of a psychotherapist to social work – in the predicaments faced by the disabled and their guardians, and in some of the larger dilemmas confronted by modern society. 

According to the traditional spiritual view, the source of all suffering is desire, and the goal is to help a person give up all attachment. The goal, and the means to it, are both very intricate mental processes. It requires behavioural discipline, mediation practice and the cultivation of wisdom and insight. This is where some sort of psychotherapy or spiritual counselling is helpful. The mind plays a crucial role in understanding how suffering comes about.   
   

Humans have, since ages, been dealing with crises, navigating severe social problems, and finding solutions to life’s problems. Each of us has also been a patient, when we have lost some natural support. We have been relying on various therapies. Psychotherapy often includes techniques to increase awareness and the capacity for self-observation, to change behaviour and cognition, and to develop insight and empathy. The result is to enable other choices of thought, feeling or action; to increase the sense of well-being, and to better manage subjective discomfort or distress. Perception of reality is improved after psychotherapy. Religions see ethical behaviour as supporting mental well being, and therefore see the adoption of ethical behaviour as healthy. All therapies, overtly or covertly, induce the person into a particular way of viewing the human condition, and are directly concerned with changing the person’s beliefs.

A person undergoing psychotherapy learns to let go of the object of compulsive behaviour and, fortified by the accompaniment of the therapist, turns to look at the suffering he/she is carrying. The therapist provides protection. Gradually, the person learns to perform this function for himself/herself: by relying upon his/her own spirit. 

When I come across people facing dilemmas they normally react in the extremes. While some people suppress their feelings, others are overwhelmed by them; they either always pretend to feel good, or become extremely distressed. Although we may recognise what afflicts us, we may lie to ourselves about our own reactions; or our self image may be so strong that part of what is happening to us never comes to our consciousness. The role of a psychotherapist, and that of religions, is to bring people face to face with the reality of their lives, and to inspire in them the spirit to do what needs to be done. The whole effort is directed towards helping people come to terms with their personal emotions. A psychotherapist is thus able to regard everybody with deep empathy, because he/she develops this ability to see deeply, and attains a level of unconditional positive regard towards others. When we finally recognise and acknowledge our afflictions, we put ourselves in a position to think well of others, and become useful to the world.

Dr. Rajesh Bhola is President of Spastic Society of Gurgaon and is working for the cause of children with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities for more than 20 years.