Like a broken gong

Be still, be silent.

Know the stillness of freedom

Where there is no more striving. 

                     - Buddha in the Dhammapada courtesy of dailyzen.com 

Silence is a critical part of psychotherapy. I sit with my client who is still and staring across the room or down at the table before him. Sometimes we joke about the awkward silence which helps to dispel the assumption of a power struggle. When thoughts are elusive and feelings are a challenge to label, the silence between us is a safe and patient space. There can be a confidence in the discovery of what needs to be said. So many sessions can be filled with chatter, it's the silences that are a prelude to something meaningful. Fear is challenging to articulate. We fight against it, trying to put distance between ourselves and what is frightening.  When the silence can be the stillness then we change directions and move towards fear. To sit still with our fear is to understand and respect it's presence in our hearts. Silence in psychotherapy is an opportunity for change, not a resistance to treatment.