>
>The alternative to seeking help from hierarchic relationships with priests
>and shrinks is to rely on the humble time-honored practice of confiding in
>friends or partners. If the friendship or partnership is worth anything,
>this practice is safe, effective and hopefully habit-forming.
>
>Carl
Talking to friends can help a lot, a whole lot. But friends and partners might say what you want to hear, so it's like talking to yourself, or might not know best how to help you put what you're working through together. What's the problem with having someone trained to listen help too? I don't think the priest/therapist analogy has a lot of legs. With priest/confessant the priest is ultimately the one answering to a higher authority and that circumscribes the responses.