Inexhaustibly deep eyes stare at me in curiosity, wonder, and perhaps some moral judgement – “Hooman, are you going to get off your busy bum and give me something nice to eat?” At other times, the eyes are half open, half closed, as my friend sits with her limbs folded in, in silent contemplation. A soft purr comes from her if you put your ear…
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The face of death
I first met Arpita three months ago. She is 50 years old, a surgeon by profession. She lost her younger sister to death in January, just a few days before we met. Outwardly, Arpita is strong, organized and in charge of life, and takes care of what her loved ones need. She takes care of the needs of her elderly parents and relatives, and her…
Therapy in times of quarantine
A young woman sits on the other side of the screen, a bare wall behind her. Her voice is interrupted because of a slow connection. I cannot always hear what she says. She often asks me to repeat what I say. Yet, there is a palpable presence that she has. The eagerness to open her heart out to another human being. The fear of being…
Journeys – ancient and contemporary
The practice of psychotherapy began in the middle of the 19th century. The human situation at the core of psychotherapy, however, is as old as human beings are. For as long as the historical record allows us to see, we – human beings – have experienced suffering, and we have met other human beings to understand and heal from our suffering. 2500 years ago, in…