Psychotherapy, much like life, is not a linear process. There are moments of advance and others of regression. There are moments of intensity, of flashes of insight, but there are also those of stillness. The idea of ​​linear progress, often referred to as development, is a historical and cultural construction of modernity.

This idea that there is no growth if you are not constantly moving forward, in the same direction, itself contributes to distress, generating unrealistic expectations that can pose serious consequences for one’s self-esteem.

The psychotherapeutic process is not comprised solely of new constructions, but also of deconstruction. Being able not only to endure, but to learn to live with, rather than to be eternally waiting for things to pass or beating yourself up when things don’t go according to the expected course and intensity, is a learning experience for life. Linking well-being to a single route and destination restricts possibilities. Furthermore, this imaginary destination in which one expects that all will finally be fine, has a deeper meaning. It speaks of cultural references and also of the individual’s story, of one’s fantasies – all great material to understand the paths one has historically chosen and how these can be related to the discomfort the patient complains about and, thus, offer the opportunity to recalculate routes and aim for new destinations.

To have a safe space in which the patient, together with the therapist, can work through these movements of life offers the opportunity, through support, attentive listening, reflective questioning and other interventions, to work through the difficulties that emerge and produce new meanings and possibilities. The therapeutical environment provides a safe space to dare to create, to make choices and thus develop autonomy. After all, in life there is not only a single path laid out to be followed, but rather crossroads and several possible paths to choose from.