What Is the Purpose of Therapy?

When many people think about therapy, they imagine a process of fixing symptoms—reducing anxiety, easing depression, or managing stress. While these are important outcomes, the deeper purpose of therapy is much more profound: it is about tending to the soul.

 Let’s look at the language itself. The word psychopathology is often translated as “the study of mental disorders.” But if we return to its Greek roots, it tells a very different story:

• Psyche — soul

• Pathos — suffering

• Logos — word or meaning

 Taken literally, psychopathology means “the language of the suffering of the soul.” Similarly, psychotherapy comes from psyche (soul) and therapeuin (to treat). At its heart, psychotherapy is treatment for the soul.

Therapy as Soul Work

When you begin therapy, you are not signing up for a one-size-fits-all program or a manualized checklist. At least not here. I believe therapy is a living, unfolding process—a journey to get to know oneself at the deepest level.

The purpose of therapy is not simply to erase pain but to understand what the pain is pointing toward. It is to listen to the messages carried by symptoms, to bring hidden patterns into awareness, and to reconnect with what Jungian analyst James Hollis calls the “big questions” of life.

The Value of Asking Big Questions

James Hollis reminds us that the purpose of life is not merely to survive or conform, but to engage meaningfully with questions like: 

• Who am I, really, beyond others’ expectations?

• What patterns from my past are still shaping my present?

• What does a life of authenticity and meaning look like for me?

By engaging with these questions, we begin to see the unconscious patterns that keep us stuck. Therapy becomes a space to realign our lives, discover new choices, and connect with a deeper sense of purpose.

 If you are seeking a therapist who approaches therapy as a conversation with the soul, not just a set of symptoms, I invite you to reach out. Together, we can explore the big questions that lead to healing, growth, and authentic living.