Heart-drama is a narrative nonfiction book which steers readers to a pathway of renewal, directing them toward an increasing awareness of Beauty (attunement with others and with the world) and of Truth (our own authenticity). I’ve been inspired by Keats’s conception of “negative capability,” the ability to hold opposing ideas in the mind at once and to make creative use of such tension. This idea is similar to mindfulness (when we turn inward), flow (when we are absorbed in meaningful effort), attunement (co-created in intimate relationships) and sacred perception (a spacious awareness of what is larger than our self). The healing drama begins when we enter any of these states of spontaneity and openness. From such an energetic and imaginative place, we can allow previously unnoticed (often painful) aspects of our inner and outer life to rise into consciousness.

With some commitment to the therapeutic path, we will begin to accurately see the barriers; only then, can we experiment with inventive responses to the restraints. This process moves us from living in a fallen world, our identity driven by unconscious conflicts, to a life of the Awakened Child, the Artist, the Lover and the Visionary, cultivated and animated inventions, aware personalities of our Inspired Self. I draw on my decades of clinical experience and utilize some original multimedia paintings to illuminate the text. I also use personal experiences to clarify the material. By core belief is that all of us have some deep work to do and I hope this book offers some guidance.