When I began pondering the start of this practice, I was mulling over several potential names and wrestled with it for a time. I inquired with friends, family, and colleagues in order to bring forth something compelling and inviting. Deep Renewal Psychotherapy was born from this process, and it was very intentionally chosen to reflect what the practice is all about.
Throughout the mental health world there are various approaches to the care of people, some focused on pathology and symptoms, some on systems, some on insight, others emphasize behavior modification, and others still are focused on positive characteristics. Each of these bear unique strengths as well as pitfalls when it comes to care, and I wanted to avoid limiting to just one of these approaches.
Due to my orientation as an Integrationist, my whole vision for care of the human person is summarized in the name of the practice. Flourishing and healing encompass more than any one of the above mentioned facets of therapy, and yet they are all a part of the process. To renew is to bring back or turn back to what is meant to be or restore what has been lost, and this looks very different from person to person. At first, it may mean working to set things in order in the immediate situation, and for others it could mean that delving into the depths is immediately warranted. It is a unique journey for everyone, and the hope is that the person may find renewal not just at the surface level, but deep and intimate restoration of their beautiful humanity.
In order to convey this vision, the logo of the practice was formed to bring this notion to life. It is composed of two intentional designs grafted into one: the Byzantine cross of St. Andrew, and the “psy” symbol from the Greek alphabet. The cross of St. Andrew is the main symbol used in the eastern Byzantine tradition of Christianity and has been an enriching support in my spiritual life. The cross of Christ sits predominantly in the top half of the logo, declaring that Christ is the ruler and source of all healing and renewal.
The bottom half of the cross then blends into the “Ψ” which is the Greek letter associated with the word psyche, meaning “soul” and is the root for the term psychology. This is meant to represent the work of psychotherapy, that is, to examine, connect, and restore the human person in their flourishing.
When looking at the two outer arms of the “psy” symbol as a single item, one cannot help but also notice a third image emerge. It resembles the shape of a sea-faring ship, which was intentional and helped to pull together the logo. The ship represents the journey we take in the process of healing, seeking ever to discover the new landscapes of ourselves as people and expand our horizons. Ships are also how we navigate the depths in order to reach our goals, and so we are able to tread The Deep safely. Lastly, with the cross of Christ cradled in the boughs of the ship, we can see two things at work. First, that Christ is the captain and navigator at the helm of our healing journey, and we follow where He points. Lastly, the ship evokes the image of Noah in the book of Genesis and the glorious symbol of the ark and the Church. As the ark was the means of preservation, security, and renewal provided to the remnant of humanity during the Flood, so too is the Church understood to be the continuation and fulfillment of the mission of the ark, to be that same means in the world. The logo then demonstrates this mystery as a joining of the science of the mind to the grace of God, all combined in a journey that leads to the deep renewal of the person.
I would like to thank Mr. Patrick Sobrak-Seaton for his work in bringing this design to life. If you wish to see more of Mr. Sobrak-Seaton’s work, it may be found here.
