It’s no secret that Sigmund Freud, in what he called the talking cure, drew on the tradition of confession in western civilization. In the therapeutic session, the patient seeks to gain psychological health by exploring their thoughts and feelings, and thereby attaining a sense of self-awareness regarding their unconscious desires and feelings. Again, it is necessary for another person to be present in order for the process to work. We have a need as humans, in other words, to reveal that which lies behind our public persona, or the walls we put up, or the masks that we wear (choose your metaphor) to other people. In doing so, we are making ourselves vulnerable and placing our trust in the listener, that they will not judge or use the information against us.
– from the upcoming book “How to Film the Truth: The Story of Documentary Film As a Spiritual Journey” to be released in the Summer of 2018 by Wipf & Stock