The Surprise of Heartfelt Love: Or Similitudes Thereof in Therapeutic Contexts

This article is included in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology Special Issue ‘Healing Emotional Suffering through Heartfelt Love’ guest edited by Michael W. Cornwall, PhD. I begin my personal narrative by briefly highlighting literature attesting to the efficacy of love in various therapeutic contexts. I then critique the notion of ‘heartfelt love’ as a healing medium, before relating a profound personal instance whereby I had such an experience. Finally, I proffer the theoretical notion that healing love may manifest, in various degrees of efficacy, along a spectrum of personal-centred therapeutic approaches.