Cathy Hubiak Zimmerman, MA, LPC

Cathy Hubiak Zimmerman – Boulder CO – Contemplative Psychotherapy – Transpersonal Psychotherapy – Hakomi Integrative Somatics – Dreamwork – Mindfulness

Contemplative View: Honoring the Wisdom of the Client

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A premise of contem­pla­tive psychotherapy is that we are all intrin­si­cally awake and that we, as humans, are good and that we naturally possess qualities of compas­sion, intel­li­gence and courage. This differs from the view of original sin that sees humans as funda­men­tally flawed.

We hold a view that our negative qualities, behavior and action are based on confusion and misun­der­standing- a temporary state, if you will. This is likened to the clouds covering the sun and sky. Our clarity, spacious­ness and warmth is revealed as the clouds part ways. Our sanity can then shine through.

So it is of utmost impor­tance that we, as contem­pla­tive psychother­a­pists hold a space for the wisdom and goodness of the client and reflect that back to them. Their intel­li­gence can be accessed and revealed if we trust that it is always there. We go beyond the limited lens of pathol­o­gizing. This encour­age­ment, that we all have what it takes to open to our most painful predica­ments, is the working rela­tion­ship between the contem­pla­tive psychother­a­pist and the client. This view is the good news. It is the foun­da­tion for the way that we work!

What is a contemplative psychotherapist?

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The creden­tials for a tradi­tional main­stream coun­seling psychology degree and that of a degree for the contem­pla­tive psychother­a­pist are one in the same. This rigorous standard is required by the State Board of Regis­tered Psychother­a­pists. However, the approach of these two kinds of therapies differs.

The tradi­tional and more main­stream counselor applies the theories and knowledge learned in their univer­sity training to the issues of the client. The system of ideas, maps, concep­tual framework and overall knowledge are the resources for working with the problems and predica­ments clients bring. This is one way that knowledge brings change.

But there is another way of “knowing”. A contem­pla­tive way- one that is open and intuitive, an intel­li­gence that gets to the heart of the matter in the most simple way. This knowing goes beyond theo­rizing and psychol­o­gizing. It comes from the natural insight that reveals itself through personal inquiry- one that requires a grounded stillness and warmth. This awareness is what provides a path toward movement in the rela­tion­ship with the client and for the client and their issues.

As a “contem­pla­tive”, beyond my univer­sity training, I have been trained in the art of stillness through medi­ta­tion. For the past 45 years, I have practiced “letting go”, in “being with” and trusting in my capacity to know what needs to happen through medi­ta­tion. This allows me to be with others in the same way, helping others to “be with” the suffering, the confusion, pain and fear that we all face. It is my calling and my life’s work. This is the only genuine and long-term way that I have found that actually brings joy, confi­dence and purpose.