Therapy is Power

Therapy is power. If I were to ask you, what is power? How is therapy power? What is your answer to these questions? A wise man overheard me say, “I have to leave early, I have a therapy appointment here shortly.” Before I left the building, he shared with me some insight, and then he placed his hand over his heart and said to me, “therapy is power.” His words hit home, and I spent the whole day thinking about those words and started to dissect how we think about power.

Leadership and power go hand in hand. If you were to ask ten people to describe leadership, one if not about half of those ten people will say “power” somewhere in their descriptive statement describing the power and what it is. We often associate power with an authoritarian regime here in the western world. Our capitalistic ways embedded with our government structure only pays homage to those in power, that be, in favor of preserving a political status quo, fewer rules in law, and lack support for the powerless in a democratic republic.

Let’s shift our view to the power of freedom, the ability to lead our own lives, the power to exist. To be free, live, be in a place that feels weightless and gratifying, similar to what we’d say is peace, is power in itself. If therapy is power, then why don’t more people abuse this type of power? What are we afraid of, or are we afraid?

The feeling of power can be scary. We are informed to view power as this authoritarian rule; it comes with all of the negative things we know it, such as haters, killers, robbers, negative reputation by the majority (depending on one’s rule), and stigma upholding a pedestal and not failing. There’s much more, one would and could say. But we see this rise of power in a negative light when we think about it. That can be scary if that’s all you know. Also, many of us are afraid of the unknown. We wouldn’t know what to do or how to feel. Processing that information and new profound feelings may take us to a place we do not know how to approach. There’s so much to unpack mentally and emotionally when entering new areas and how we react, respond, adjust, and adapt.

So the two main questions asked were what power is? How is therapy power? Power is the ability to transform and create something that is currently not possible in that reality. Therapy is power because now, when one invests in therapy and opens themselves up, they make their truth to overcome those hurdles that were previously blocking them from a possibility. The new reality is now possible without fear and feeling powerless.

In one of my favorite books, Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, one of the supporting characters states, “but you’re the one who starts the process in your heart.” He also goes on to say, “healing requires taking responsibility for your actions.” When the wise man placed his hand over his heart and told me, “therapy is power,” his gesture symbolizes the start of the process. The process of gaining this power starts in the heart. It flows throughout the rest of our body towards our mind.

How is my therapy power? It has pride, confidence, and strength in my blackness. It allows my blackness to represent more than just the stigmas and stereotypes that follow from historical accounts to present-day movements and calls to action. It’s also existing as a Black Man and being more than just a provider. It’s a caretaker, the life of the party, a goofy friend, a sincere son, a thoughtful person, a passionate & loyal partner, a creative philosophical intellectual. Most importantly, creating a reality where I exist. I am free to live in a space to experience all emotions and just that, experience emotions. 

To experience freedom, power, peace, a leadership ability that exuberates confidence, happiness, and strength, you have to find your therapy and hone in on that power. So I challenge you, and I say to you, “therapy is power.” Maybe getting a therapist isn’t within reason at the moment; that is ok. There are other forms: journaling, reading, meditating, drawing, and exercising compassion for yourself and your body. There is time spent in nature and many different HEALTHY ways one can find therapy. Find it, and I extend this affirmation to you. Therapy is power.