Have a listen to this beautiful song and then read the story behind it ??? then listen again ??? click here: Man In A White Shirt.
The Story Behind The Song
Most of the population have no real idea what we do in psychotherapy, especially group psychotherapy. They often assume it???s about getting advice and who would want advice from unqualified strangers!? One of the things forbidden in group therapy is, in fact, giving advice. I???m the only person in the room qualified to give advice and one thing drummed into me in my training was not to give advice. It???s all about helping people to come to their own awareness of the values that they want to live by and the dynamics they have learnt and stored in their unconscious that determine why they do what they do. These dynamics often stop us from living by our values. Once you have worked out the dynamics that hold you back from meaningfully pursuing your values, you can start to more powerfully author your own life. To do this you need to assimilate this awareness at an emotional level, rather than at an intellectual level. Group therapy, because of its experiential and confronting nature, is a powerful tool for bringing about this emotional shift.
As a group member explores his or herself in the safety of the group, others from their distance, can more easily see how their own values and dynamics work. In short, psychotherapy, group and individual, is simply accelerated personal growth.
??? ??? to love is the reason to live ??????
Very cool things happen when you bring a group of people committed to their own personal growth together. Perhaps the coolest thing is when a person really helps another group member to grow by connecting at a deeply empathic, emotional level. We all have a deep need to be seen by others ??? truly, really seen and acknowledged. To do this we have to connect. All too rarely can we capture what happens in group and share it with the outside world. One of my group members, who came along for help with making sense of relationships, is a talented songwriter and professional musician. After an interaction with another group member who struggles with this whole issue of connecting, he wrote this song.
It???s about, for me at least, how readily we live disconnected from others. It is exquisitely sung by Mick Carter. Knowing where this song came from, it made me cry when I first heard it. As well as writing the song, this group member is playing piano. Have a listen …
If you like it, please leave a reply below that I can pass onto the songwriter (you many need to click on the article title to open the reply window).
[Consent for the publication of this article and song was given by the group member involved.]