Bert’s therapy/Session 30: Yellow Brick Road

“If I know I’m crazy, does that

mean I’m not?”

Interesting question. Why do

you ask?

I’m not asking, I’m quoting. I just

read that in a book.

What kind of book?

A mystery, actually. It’s about this

Thai cop trying to solve a murder

and practice Buddhism at the

same time.*

And does your Buddhist cop

answer the question?

No. Can you?

Yes: No.

No, as in knowing I’m crazy

doesn’t mean I’m not crazy?

Right.

Why doesn’t it?

Does finding a hole in your tooth

make the cavity vanish?

No.

Same thing. Noticing something

doesn’t make it go away.

Self-awareness can take you just

so far. I’ve had plenty of clients

who like to say they’re working

on their problems when they’re

really just thinking about them.

But real recovery takes work.

What kind of work?

The uncomfortable kind.

Why uncomfortable?

Because emotional problems

tend to come from avoiding

discomfort. So facing discomfort

is part of recovery.

Discomfort as in…

Owning mistakes, facing

our limitations, accepting

responsibility, becoming

vulnerable, taking risks.

That sort of thing.

I’d rather skip all that.

That’s how most people feel.

Look around you. How many

healthy people do you know?

Not many.

But when does it end?

Recovery work?

Yes.

If you’re doing it right, never.

Never? There’s no graduation?

No Nirvana to attain? No Emerald

City you reach?

Nope. Just the Yellow Brick Road.

Hmm. So what do I do?

You choose. You can keep trying

to dodge life’s discomfort,

or you can…

hit the road.

*The Godfather of Katmandu by John Burdett.