When we talk about this "thing" we do--going to therapy, there's an extensive vocabulary,
almost a language of its own, to the point that perhaps we need a Glossary of Terms.
For example, what is it exactly? Mental
health or mental illness?
Okay, try this on for size. What's the difference between therapy, psycho-therapy,
and counseling? Is the difference the same as the difference between a therapist, a psycho-therapist,
and a counselor?
Okay, so what's the difference between seeing your therapist and not
seeing your therapist? Is that basically the same as does your therapist really SEE YOU or NOT? Is there
a more basic question like, whose vision is it? The therapist's or your's?
Have you ever pondered asking your therapist to sign a "Release of Information" so you can talk
to your therapist's PSYCHO-therapist?
Have you wondered what your therapist's therapist looks like? Wouldn't it be weird to
find out that it's the person who flipped you off on the freeway this morning? Or the person who ran over your foot
trying to beat you to the open check out line?
What does depression really mean? Is just regular depression being down in the land fill
compared to CLINICAL depression which means you're not really in the land fill? You just have a chemical imbalance?
And then, what is a chemical imbalance? Every changing moment, every changing mood is
a chemical imbalance. So is there such a thing as being clinically HAPPY (or gay)? How about clinically CALM in
contrast to being clinically NERVOUS? How about clinically IN LOVE or clinically MARRIED or clinically
DIVORCED?! I guarantee you all those are chemical imbalances.
How about plain old clinically INSANE? What's the difference between insanity and CRAZINESS?
When you scream out in total desparation, "You're driving me nuts!" who are you really
talking to? Who is it that's really driving you nuts?
I remember, as a kid, losing my marbles! I bet most kids today don't even know
what a marble is let alone a pocket load! So because during my elementary and junior high years, I lost my marbles
on several occasions, does that qualify me for some form of insanity?
And how about the time I lost my cookies? I'm not even sure what cookies really are.
If I did lose them, they've found me again right there inside my computer chip. Computer chip cookies--yummy!
And what the heck is mind over matter? Is that the same as comparing "Do you mind?" and
"Does it matter?" Is that sort of like rocks, scissors, paper?
In my declining vision and wrinkling age, the person I see in front of me is someone
who acts a lot like me--courageously stepping up to the plate each day, surrounded by voices that are screaming out God-awful
put downs and other voices shouting out words of faith and encouragement. All the voices seem to show up for the game.
The wonder-filled people who come to the office keep swinging the bat, sometimes connecting and sometimes striking out. In
baseball, you always have three strikes, and three strikes again and again, whether you're a criminal or not.
Maybe the question is not whether or not you're cured or whether or not you're mentally ill
or well, BUT ARE YOU BATTING 300?
