ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 discusses the role of the ego within Heart Led Psychotherapy (HLP) where the ego represents a person’s self-image or their over thinking or overanalyses that causes suffering and distress. In HLP, the ego is seen as the biggest obstacle to making heart and soul led choices and prevents clients moving forward in their journey to live an authentic life. Characteristics of the ego can include creating fear, hooks into situations and/or people, creating expectations and also maintaining the victim role. Strategies and exercises are provided to teach clients how to learn to let go of their egoic thinking so that they can move into and honour their heart and soul. The value of client’s having metaphorical brick walls or loving boundaries to protect themselves when distressed is discussed. Finally, the ego often encourages clients to seek comfort in the use of labels and diagnosis for their psychological difficulties but it is explained how these can actually maintain suffering rather than enable healing.
