Psychotherapy is My Political Party
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It’s 2007, I lived in beautiful Cracow and for two years I have been doing my dream work – I’m a psychotherapist. I have just finished the School of Psychotherapy. I have my patients, an excellent supervisor and friends, also psychotherapists, with whom I am constantly communicating about our work.

One day suddenly this thought pops up: why hasn’t anyone ever written a book about the beginning of Polish Psychotherapy? How is it possible in difficult and uninspiring times a small group of people began and developed a revolutionary approach to understand and treat psychiatric patients? Thanks to this new approach a psychiatric patient became a human being, a person, an individual who is responsible for his/her own treatment and life.

That revolution has irreversibly changed the Polish psychiatric system, the lives of patients and their families, the medical staff and also the mentality of the Polish people. Psychotherapy brought the awareness, the language and the tools that have opened up what’s incomprehensible, strange and painful in all of us.

The thought about writing such a book became my dream and it took me another… six years to accomplish it. The book consists of twenty interviews with the first Polish professional psychotherapists and supervisors. They share their personal stories and individual perspectives on Polish psychotherapy and its development.

During those years I frequently had to deal with all sorts of obstacles. A few times I had to start over. Many times I felt tired, lonely and lost. There was a moment when my family and friends advised me to quit (and I can understand why). But every time when I felt helpless new people or resources showed up and gave me the energy to go on.

For me writing that book was a huge acceleration in my professional and personal development. I probably made all possible mistakes of a beginning author. And then I made even more mistakes during the publication and marketing process. I received tremendous kindness, support and real help. I also received criticism.

The book “Psychotherapy is My Political Party” was finally published in 2013. It’s an expression of my gratitude and appreciation for the first generations of Polish psychotherapists for introducing humanistic values to Polish psychiatry and society. In this book I also wanted to honour hundreds of psychiatric patients and their families who were always pivotal in transformations.

Mariola Wereszka is a Life Coach and the founder of the coaching program, The Universe Wants You To Succeed. Mariola was born in Poland, where she also spent the major part of her life. She was trained as a psychodynamic psychotherapist and for more than ten years led psychotherapy for individuals and groups. She published the book “Psychotherapy Is My Political Party”. For eight years Mariola served as a staff member in the International Auschwitz Bearing Witness Retreat and the Ravensbrűck Retreat for Women. She has lived in Paris and the US previously, and now she lives with her family in Belgium. She offers online life coaching, workshops, and webinars. She works in English and Polish. For more details, please visit www.theuniversewantsyoutosucceed.com.

Psychotherapy is My Political Party