The ups and downs of the therapeutic body-mind-spirit journey, a transpersonal quest, the hero’s journey.

First things first, how does one find a good therapist in this modern age, with social media shouting from every corner?

Some of us rely on online reviews, others trust a friend’s recommendation, and some may find themselves drawn to a therapist they’ve followed on YouTube. And then there are those serendipitous encounters at a retreat, where you meet someone who sparks a flicker of hope in your healing process. The list of how to find “the one” is endless, and yet, the real journey begins with an inner whisper:

Are you ready to heal?

But beyond the search lies a more profound question: How do you find the right fit? Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all experience. It’s an alchemy of energy, trust, and timing. I always encourage people to explore various professionals, watch their work, feel their presence, and see how your body responds. Energy is our first language. When you find the person who resonates with your deep self, you’ll know. And then the true journey begins. My personal search was long and winding. Over a period of around 15 years I met countless doctors and therapists who only focused on my symptoms, unaware that something much deeper was at play, hidden within my body and soul. In my first book, WITHIN: A Memoir of an Inner Alchemist, I share how it wasn’t until I found the right therapist and the right method, that the real healing began. At 36, I started the true journey, and it would take me years of dedication and courage.

NEVER GIVE UP. This is my message to you. Your suffering and your illness is not a punishment or a curse. As Gabor Maté (the trauma expert) teaches, it’s a messenger. Trauma lodges itself in the body, in our tissues, and in our nervous system, whispering to us through illness, discomfort, and emotional pain. But society didn’t teach us how to listen. We were taught to silence these voices, to be productive, efficient, and numb to the deeper calling of the soul. Healing requires us to pause, to sit with the discomfort, and to listen to what our bodies are trying to tell us.

You might begin with cognitive talk therapy, unravelling the threads of family history and personal relationships. And that’s a vital start. But eventually, you may feel a stirring inside, a desire to go deeper beyond the ordinary mind, beyond the stories.
This is where the Body-Mind-Spirit therapeutic journey begins. It’s a transpersonal quest, one that integrates the body, nervous system, vital energy, hidden emotions, and mental processes, along with the vast spiritual dimension that we often overlook in our healing. To walk this path is to say yes to the hero’s journey, a journey that, as Rumi says, “has no clear beginning and no end.”

After decades of seeking, I found the right therapist, the right method, and something miraculous happened. Over time, I healed my psychosomatic illnesses at their root. But beyond that, I reconnected with my true essence. My inner child began to laugh again, my adult self matured with confidence, and my entire being became more joyful, fun-loving, and whole. Healing is not about fixing what is broken; it is about remembering and experiencing who you truly are.

The next step?

Building trust. Trust is sacred. It’s the bridge between therapist and client, between soul and self. At first, it feels like discovery, new and exciting. But soon, the work deepens, and patience becomes the key. There are no shortcuts. As I often emphasise, trauma healing is not linear; it’s a process of expansion and contraction. Like breathing. One day you feel vast and open, the next day you feel constricted and tight. Both are part of the dance. Healing is more like a spiral, sometimes you feel like you’re going in circles, but in reality, you’re spiraling toward greater wholeness. Money, time, energy, and limiting beliefs, these are common hurdles along the way. Is the person willing to invest in their healing? Weekly or bi-weekly sessions demand commitment, financially, emotionally, and energetically. It’s essential to shed light on any beliefs that hold you back from fully engaging in this process. As you begin this journey, you’ll learn the art of surrender. To rest. To meditate. To flow. This is not a passive surrender; it’s an active letting go, an opening. As Rumi writes: “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”

New sensations will awaken in your body, your nervous system, and your energy field. As another trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk teaches, the body keeps score of everything we’ve experienced. When we allow the body to speak, it releases its stored trauma in waves, sometimes through tears, sometimes through sensations, sometimes through stillness or even laughter and gratitude. Healing happens when we learn to listen without judgement. Now, let me tell you about the moments when the going gets tough. Resistance. Frustration. Boredom. Maybe you’ll hit a plateau where nothing seems to be happening. You’re not alone.

This is a universal part of the process. Every person’s healing journey is unique, but it’s common to feel new sensations at the start, only to find yourself stuck later. But this is where the real work begins. The very places that hurt the most are the places where transformation is waiting to happen. Some people give up at this point because they don’t want to confront the negativity that rises. But true healing, real awakening, comes from moving through these suppressed emotions. Cultivate inner strength. Build trust with the inner rhythm of your body.

Because sooner or later, we’ll reach the layers of your subconscious, those hidden chambers of pain and memory. And this is where the right therapist is essential. Someone who has walked their own path, who has seen their own shadow. Gabor Maté often speaks of how a therapist’s unhealed wounds can interfere with their work. True healing happens when the therapist has done their own hero’s journey, when they’ve sat with their own darkness. Only then can they hold space for yours. We all must face our shadows. This is the essence of being fully human. Trauma doesn’t just belong to the individual, it belongs to families, generations, even societies. We carry ancestral pain in our bodies, in our DNA, in our karma and samskaras. And as you heal, your mind and body will open, revealing the universe within you, inviting you to step into a deeper dimension of being.

The healing journey is a rollercoaster. One day, you’ll feel light and free, the next, you might feel heavy and burdened. Both are necessary. Healing is about integration bringing together the light and the dark, the joy and the sorrow. Over time, as you release your blockages, as you reconnect with your essence, you will begin to experience life with a new sense of wonder, wholeness and a quiet power of integrity.

Rumi’s wisdom is ever-present on this journey. He said, “Sell your cleverness, buy bewilderment.” Healing isn’t something you can map out or measure with logic. It’s a dance between the known and the unknown, between the intellect and the heart. To heal, we must surrender to the mystery of life, much like a seed doesn’t need to understand how to become a tree; it simply grows, trusting the process.

In this journey, you will rediscover the magic of life. A sense of childlike wonder will return. You will see the beauty in simplicity. You will feel the profound joy of being alive. As most trauma experts teach, healing allows us to reconnect with our authentic self, the self that existed before trauma, before pain, before the world told us who to be. The hero’s journey is for all of us. Find a guide who has walked this path before you, one who resonates with your soul. Your time, energy, and resources are the most sacred investments you can make in your life.

I hope this article stirs something within you, a spark, a curiosity, an invitation to embark on your own journey. Once you’ve tasted the essence of this inner space work, you will find a world waiting for you, one filled with beauty, joy, and the quiet power of integrity.