Haven’t we all pushed harder and harder on a door that would not open, only to pause, look at the handle, or see the sign “pull,” realizing then it was
“Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky…” Tennyson’s words from In Memoriam call us to a reckoning with the old year and the birth of the new. His poem pulses with the longing to discard what weighs us down personally and socially—detachment, pride, regret, etc. — and to embrace a brighter beginning. But the transformation he invokes is not simply a celebration; it is a call to action, a challenge to confront ourselves honestly toward living differently.
What do we leave behind as the bells ring out, and what new commitments do we make as they ring in?
This moment of transition mirrors a deeper, ongoing question central to Existential-Humanistic therapy: “How am I presently living?” and “How am I willing to live?” These questions, like Tennyson’s appeal, invite us to envision change and engage with it courageously.
“The road to freedom is a difficult, hard road.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
These words resonate deeply as we reflect on the significance of Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their emancipation, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. This day, now celebrated as a national holiday, Juneteenth, symbolizes the long and arduous journey toward freedom for African Americans and the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.
Juneteenth is more than just a historical milestone; it is a celebration of freedom and a reminder of the resilience and strength of those who fought tirelessly for their liberation. As we observe Juneteenth this month, we are called to recognize the importance of meeting our past and embracing the present in our journey toward freedom.
Existential-Humanistic theory holds that the self of the client relies on protective layers. A diagram of those layers includes the following:
The Chinese finger trap is a good illustration of the law of reverse effect: try something and get the opposite. The framework is helpful to remember when working with psychological protections (i.e., “spacesuits”). When we push or confront, we may get resistance.
Working with “spacesuits” is part of the art of therapy. Still, there are points to keep in mind.
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