The Night is Dark and full of Terrors

The night of our patients' life histories carry many, many terrors. However, these also take form in other polymorphous shapes. The terror of organisational and service disregard of the need to negotiate night. Societal and public denial of night's existence altogether. Unwitting, and sadly sometimes intentional, family perpetuation of terrors' growth and nights' smothering suffocation. This can leave us therapists (I know it in myself) writhing in the terror of physical/mental exhaustion, apathy, demoralization and entertaining tempting thoughts to give up. However, when I find myself in these states of near-despair, I always think, "If we don't do this, who will? Who is able?". I also seek the support, guidance and help from my colleagues (you guys!) and feel refreshed, re-energised and re-animated afterward. I remember that support is there. And I remember that what we do has irreplaceable value in the lives of our patients and ourselves. That we are but guides, a lantern in the dark, that is part of a seamless and universal, collective transcendent 'presence'. As Brene Brown has written: "'The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It's our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.". And this is the valuable lesson that we must embody, teach and radiate to our patients and to all we encounter in a collective, collaborative and ongoing manner. And the very knowledge of this can sustain us, and guide us and our patients through the terrors- hopefully in time, enjoying the pleasure and honor of observing their metamorphoses.