I had a Big Dream – the kind of surreal experience that lingers for weeks, startles and transforms.

Provoked by a guiding question, “Who is my ally?” I expected to greet some mystical creature. Instead, it was Geoff – my therapist. 

My reaction: “Hell, no.” This was not the role I’d assigned him: a distant expert. Six feet away. Surrounded by boundaries. 

I waited. Geoff morphed over time, eventually transforming into a staff. He was my staff to lean on, to guide me through my trials and tribulations. Through the desert. 

Wait. What??? Why is the desert making an appearance???

Symbols Create Connections 

Outside my conscious awareness, my sparky little neurons were spawning networks, connecting disparate topics. 

This time of year, the Jewish people read from the old testament’s ‘Exodus’ chapter, in which the Israelites escape slavery, following Moses into the desert. Moses’ staff was literally a walking stick, used for support. But it was also a change agent, performing miracles that kept the Israelites safe and fended off their attackers. 

This is starting to make sense.

The Power of a Therapeutic Alliance

According to biblical scholars, the staff itself doesn’t perform miracles. It’s simply the conduit. 

A spark of God resides in us all, even if somewhat covered with muck. My dream was conveying that Geoff is supporting me while I find the internal strength to perform the miracle of transformation. Geoff isn’t too close, too intrusive. The transformation will emanate from me. 

This is the power of partnership that transforms. The staff is nothing without God. And God can’t act without the staff. This is the ultimate power coupling: a supportive and highly skilled therapist provides the foundation so that the client can find their godliness, own it, and radiate from within. 

This is what healing looks like. This is what transformation means.