A cardinal mark is a sea mark - or buoy - used to indicate where the safest and deepest navigable water lies, as well as the directions of north, south, east or west. It signals bends or forks in a channel, or marks the end of a shoal. Mariners rely on these aids to understand their positioning relative to safe waters. 

These concepts can be applied in therapy as well. I see a cardinal mark as a point of awareness, designed to pull focus and provide an opportunity to chart a new path, expanding our view of what lies ahead. It also serves as a symbol of safety, a crucial aspect of effective therapy. Safety allows us to explore what is subterranean and bring it into our present reality. 

Austrian psychologist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, famously said, “Between stimulus and response, lies a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose a response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness.” Our lives are a constant stream of stimuli, and our complex histories often shape how we respond to daily tasks and the intricate nuances of our relationships - romantic or otherwise - as well as our professional, familial, and educational experiences. The antidote to our suffering is having the courage to question whether these responses serve us today. 

That’s where I come in: to support you in identifying your cardinal mark and empower you to engage with life on your terms.

Cardinal Mark Counseling, PLLC

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