Who is the best therapist?

My dog Zen, of course,

and I know this is because he helps me reconnect with my inner intelligence (the true therapist in the room) which will always guide me towards healing, adaption and flourishment if I listen to it.

Whatever the therapeutic approach taken (be it somatic experiencing, IFS, person centred, CBT, trauma recovery, breathwork, PAT) the success of that therapy will be determined by the extent to which it enabled you to listen to and trust more in the inner healing intelligence that's built into the human operating system.

 So what is this inner intelligence? It's the intelligence that lived us even before we were born. It's in every cell, in every living organism, it's always at play whether or not we are aware of it. It's the universal intelligence within all the web of life which enables it to thrive.

We can be oblivious to it, over-ride, ignore it, work against it, as is so tragically apparent at a macro level with global warming and on a micro level in terms of our deteriorating mental health.

 Or we can become aware of it, tune into it and listen to what it guides us to do which is in the best interests of the health of our body/mind, community and planet.

 At an individual level we're most likely to hear it when we are present in the here and now, we're most likely to feel it as an ah ha, of course, duh, kind of moment which comes with a feeling of ease, relief and 'knowing' beyond the head chatter of 'shoulds, musts and 'not enoughs'.

Without bells or whistles this inner intelligence lets us know what's right to do in the here and now, for us to thrive in synchronicity with the web of life.

That can be as mundane as hearing you need to eat, put a coat on, take a walk outside, slow down when your driving or as life changing as knowing your truly ok in spite of the trauma you experienced, the marriage that's ended, the job that not worked out, the loss you suffered.

It's always within us, updating to the here and now, there to be guided by, ignored or clouded over by our already knowing intellect and analytical mind.

What ever helps you regulate so your present to whats in the here and now (be it a type of therapy, nature, movement, breath, singing, sport, craft, dogs) allows this intelligence to flow.

Then it's a case of knowing it came from within in you, the infinite source of who you are and how you experience life, and not from the activity you were doing or the people, dog or therapist you were with.