Embracing the Depths: The Art of Non-Judgment in Healing

I was asked an interesting question by a client: “So, you judge for a living?” My response was clear—“no, I absolutely do not judge.” He then asked, almost in disbelief or skepticism—“how can you not? Isn’t judging a normal part of being human? Everyone judges, after all.”

I explained that perhaps it is a common tendency among the majority of human beings. However, in my profession, the less you judge, the better you become, and the more potential you have to maximize the efficacy of treatment. He seemed bewildered by this concept, as if I were speaking of an entirely alien idea he had never encountered before. In his world, he shared, he had always been judging. Growing up in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods, judgment had been a necessary survival skill.

I empathized with his experience but further affirmed that in my role, judgment does not exist. This may be a unique trait among a minority of personalities, yet it is essential in person-centered therapy and Logotherapy. Judgment must be set aside if not absent to cultivate a safe therapeutic space, one filled with empathy and unconditional acceptance. It is through this environment of unconditional positive regard that we can foster noetic connectivity, inviting the individual to self-disclose and to be emotionally receptive for deeper transformation.

The aim is to create emotional receptivity for a deeper noetic connection, where true understanding and healing can flourish.

(c)2024 John Piedrahita