Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

John15:2

Don’t miss the forest for the trees. We as therapists can learn a lesson from that well known statement. We are often guilty of dwelling on one “tree” and missing the beauty and majesty of the entire forest of our clients’ lives.

I often tell my clients that I can’t assess how sick they are until I know how well they are. I encourage them to tell me all the things that are going right in their lives as well as the things that are going wrong. Many times we find that one or two trees of bitterness and sin are spoiling their perspective. Once those  trees are removed, they begin to see the forest for what it is.

Sometimes there is a fire in the forest. Burning trees must be tended quickly and carefully. We must prune away the branches that are burned and not functional to save the strength and fruitfulness of the surviving tree and surrounding trees. After putting out a fire in a specific area, we may even clear away the damage and plant new trees. Then, if all goes well, the client can take on the primary  job of tending the forest.

Thought: My life is a beautiful forest, so I will enjoy it even while pruning an occasional tree.