Leadership Challenges

The task of those in leadership of a community is difficult. Benedict admonishes the Abbot (from ABBA -father), that "He should recognize the difficulty of his position - to care for and guide the spiritual development of many different characters." The role of the therapist is similar. Many different types of characters walk through our doors, from Cenobites to Gyrovagues. Perhaps the most challenging are the Wary Convalescents. Our task is to meet them where they are and to provide a safe structure for working out their relationship issues, rather like a laboratory for life. I often tell new clients that they have the freedom to be a "Bad Patient". By that I mean that it's OK to let down the wall of defense so they can explore their emotional world, specifically their Transferences. Sometimes that means they will be angry with me for not being as available or as understanding or wise as they think I should be. They can feel free to take me to task and we will talk it through, and both of us will grow thought the experience together. Benedict knows this: "To those who understand, he may expound verbally the Lord's directions: but to the stubborn and dull, he must exhibit the Divine commandments by his action in his everyday life."(Ch. 2)