P-2.III:The Role of the Psychotherapist

1. 1The psychotherapist is a leader in the sense that he walks slightly ahead of the patient, and helps him to avoid a few of the pitfalls along the road by seeing them first. 2Ideally, he is also a follower, for One should walk ahead of him to give him light to see. 3Without this One, both will merely stumble blindly on to nowhere. 4It is, however, impossible that this One be wholly absent if the goal is healing. 5He may, however, not be recognized. 6And so the little light that can be then accepted is all there is to light the way to truth.

2. 1Healing is limited by the limitations of the psychotherapist, as it is limited by those of the patient. 2The aim of the process, therefore, is to transcend these limits. 3Neither can do this alone, but when they join, the potentiality for transcending all limitations has been given them. 4Now the extent of their success depends on how much of this potentiality they are willing to use. 5The willingness may come from either one at the beginning, and as the other shares it, it will grow. 6Progress becomes a matter of decision; it can reach almost to Heaven or go no further than a step or two from hell.

3. 1It is quite possible for psychotherapy to seem to fail. 2It is even possible for the result to look like retrogression. 3But in the end there must be some success. 4One asks for help; another hears and tries to answer in the form of help. 5This is the formula for salvation, and must heal. 6Divided goals alone can interfere with perfect healing. 7One wholly egoless therapist could heal the world without a word, merely by being there. 8No one need see him or talk to him or even know of his existence. 9His simple Presence is enough to heal.

4. 1The ideal therapist is one with Christ. 2But healing is a process, not a fact. 3The therapist cannot progress without the patient, and the patient cannot be ready to receive the Christ or he could not be sick. 4In a sense, the egoless psychotherapist is an abstraction that stands at the end of the process of healing, too advanced to believe in sickness and too near to God to keep his feet on earth. 5Now he can help through those in need of help, for thus he carries out the plan established for salvation. 6The psychotherapist becomes his patient, working through other patients to express his thoughts as he receives them from the Mind of Christ.