The Loving Self by Joseph Natterson

From the Introduction to The Loving Self by Joseph Natterson:

The world is undergoing an unprecedented environmental catastrophe. Mother Earth, who nurtures us all, urgently needs our utmost loving attention. Instead, we exploit and damage her ruthlessly, even as we claim to care deeply. The approach to therapy that I recommend awakens and restores the mature, humane capacities of individuals whose true, loving self has been stifled by impaired relational experiences. Once the loving self is awakened, a more loving stewardship of the planet will be possible.

I have been developing the concept of the Loving Self and its pertinence to psychotherapy for several years. But I am aware that the roots of this project lie deep within my personal history and my own self-development. I grew up in a family that professed and practiced humanistic, socially loving attitudes, but was, like all families, racked with ambivalence and its derivatives: fear, guilt, and inhibition. I always strove for a loving engagement with life, but I always stumbled on my own unconsciously created obstructions.