Psychological Awakening: Where Change Begins
- Rachel Bonifacio
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Change doesn’t begin with action. It begins with awareness — that subtle but powerful shift when you realize something in your life is no longer working the way it used to. This is what many psychologists and philosophers refer to as a psychological awakening — a moment of clarity that disrupts autopilot living and sparks the desire to grow.
(And since you are here, maybe this has happened or is currently happening to you. We welcome you to this transformative part of your journey in life!)
A psychological awakening often comes in unexpected forms: a recurring conflict, burnout, a sense of numbness, or even a sudden insight during a quiet walk. It is not always dramatic, though sometimes, it can be. It’s often quiet and internal, but its effects can be life-changing.
Carl Jung, one of the founding figures of depth psychology, believed that awakening comes when we confront what he called the “Shadow” — the unconscious parts of ourselves we usually avoid. You must have seen this term floating around in pop psychology posts (hello, Tik Tok and Instagram users).
Jung wrote, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” (Jung, 1953).
The moment we begin to recognize our patterns, beliefs, and emotional responses, we start reclaiming the agency we’ve unknowingly surrendered.
From a therapeutic perspective, this awakening is the first step toward healing. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for instance, clients are guided to become aware of automatic thoughts that influence their emotions and behaviors (Beck, 1979). The same is true in mindfulness-based approaches, such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which emphasizes nonjudgmental awareness of present-moment experience as a catalyst for change (Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002). These two approaches are often used in your first few sessions with Lighthouse, aiming to develop your self-awareness, first and foremost.
What distinguishes psychological awakening from mere discomfort is the decision to pay attention. Many people live with distress for years without examining its source. But the moment we pause and ask, “Why does this keep happening?” or “What is this emotion trying to tell me?” — we cross the threshold from reactivity to reflection.
This awakening isn’t always welcomed. It can be inconvenient, painful, even destabilizing, and this is also one of the reasons people discontinue therapy. It's not always warm and fuzzy, but it's always caring and always holds the best intentions. Realizing that you’re not happy in your career, that a long-term relationship is no longer aligned with your values, or that your coping mechanisms are unsustainable — these are not easy truths. But they are the birthplace of authenticity.
Awakening doesn’t mean we immediately have the answers. Often, it leaves us with more questions. But as Viktor Frankl once said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” (Frankl, 1946). Awareness invites us to respond differently, even if the circumstances remain the same.
Whether you find this moment through therapy, journaling, spiritual practice, or a breakdown that cracks you open, know that awakening is not an endpoint. It’s a beginning. The path forward may be nonlinear, but it’s yours to walk — with more clarity, compassion, and courage than before.
And it all starts with waking up.
References:
Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. Penguin.
Frankl, V. E. (1946). Man's Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.
Jung, C. G. (1953). Psychology and Alchemy. Princeton University Press.
Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2002). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse. Guilford Press.
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