Still Waters
The image of ‘still waters’ provides a powerful metaphor of the quiet we often long for when faced with demanding lives, a turbulent world, personal crisis, and/or a sense that personal growth is required.
Whether alone or in the company of another (e.g., parent, partner, friend, therapist, the divine) settling down alongside a body of water can elicit an interior sense of stillness and peacefulness, our physical bodies also relaxing.
In psychological terms, ‘still waters’ is a metaphor for ‘self-regulation’: having a stable and coherent sense of self; being able to reflectively move through life in ways that result in rich, purposeful living; flexible and adaptive in the face of the unexpected.
When faced with difficult situations and accompanying challenging thoughts and feelings, it is easy to become overwhelmed and distressed, unable to acts in ways aligned to one’s personal and professional values and beliefs. At these times it can feel like we are caught on a choppy ocean, at the mercy of the waves that buffet us. Therapy provided in a caring, secure and supportive context allows the individual to safely explore and address issues currently affecting his/her life.
In the opening verses of Psalm 23 (1-3), Christian believers are told that restoration of the soul comes in the context of ‘green pastures’ and ‘still waters’ – the Divine drawing the weary and the wounded to a quiet place where restoration is possible. Therapy that takes into consideration one’s worldview helps individuals address life issues in ways that align with their life values.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
— Psalm 23: 1: 3 ,Holy Bible, ESV®, 2001
