No Longer Bound

Michelangelo’s angel was hidden inside a piece of marble, but without his vision and ability the angel would have remained concealed and unable to be liberated from the constraints of the marble.

The angel was there all along but could not be freed without help. Thus, the angel is now not only a form of beauty, but also carries the capacity to enrich all of those who come in contact with it. In other words, originally it was just a piece of marble but now it is something far more valuable and meaningful.

Many people feel as if they are trapped inside of anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse, a difficult relationship, etc. They have felt for a long time that they were powerless to be set free from the pain, suffering, shame, low self-esteem, and fears that go along with these issues.

The good news is that help is available. Counselors and/or psychotherapists are the “carvers” that see the real person hidden behind these distressing concerns. With compassion, skill, and unconditional positive regard the therapist begins the work of freeing the “angel” so that eventually she/he will emerge out of the “marble” no longer bound by it.

To make this “carving” successful there needs to be a relationship between the “angels” and the “carver”. This means that in order to allow the therapist to begin the process of revelation there has to be an atmosphere of safety and trust.

Furthermore, it means looking beyond surface behavior into the heart of each person to understand what has maintained their hidden alarms and distresses. As these are discovered and dealt with growth, integration, and wholeness result which, in turn reveal that beautiful “angel”.

Written by Dorice Neir, M.Ed., M.A., L.P.C.
Pathways to Change LLC
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