At times, however, the therapist mu

At times, however, the therapist must set aside pursuit of these mysteries for the sake of immediately clarifying experience. Lives may be at stake. Or psychologically dangerous decisions, such as divorce, marriage, having a child, changing jobs, or generally rocking the boat, may make the leisure of mystery hard to sustain. Where uncertainty requires a premature clarification, the pressure for immediate decision or action can result in confusion. Oscar was more of a mystery to me, however, than a source of contusion,perhaps because he did not seem to be in immediate emergency and had other continuing therapeutic attention. Where pressure for immediate clarity can be reduced, as it often can, the mystery can unfold its special clarity in its own rightful time.