embracing psychic pain

This is a very interesting new article on the so called "third wave" of psychology in which sufferers are told to embrace their suffering rather than try to escape it or make it go away.

Great concept, but not new; the Buddhists have been telling us this for several thousand years. Pema Chodron wrote a great book called When Things Fall Apart" in hich she describes how "leaning into" our hurt softens it and eventually makes it pliable and something we can work with.

Childbirth educators have long known that teaching women to "go into" painful contractions works better than trying to get them to be distracted away from the pain.

In my own life, I've found the hard way that the only way through, is through. No going around or over or under. The crucible of leaning into the bad stuff is a central tenet of human existence. It makes us better, sometimes.

I understand that serious, organic mental illness cannot respond entirely to this approach, but basic suffering can be alleviated with it.

My 2 cents.