Meaning of the Logo

There are several symbols (archetypes) that represent my views of life, growth, healing, and change. These same archetypes are great examples of how the counseling process works and have become part of the logo for my counseling practice. While I have an office in Akron, Ohio, at Jefferson Park, the symbols for the logo originate from my country office at Sunlight Farm in Jefferson, Ohio.

The Oak Tree – Leaf

There is a mighty Oak tree that sits in the south side yard at Sunlight Farm. It has been there for as long as my family has lived there (over 50 years).

The Oak is one of the strongest and most enduring of all trees. The sturdy branches of an Oak tree produce a magical image of carefree life where a child sits atop an old hemp rope, plank swing seat, swaying in the breeze. Or that same child sitting on the ground beneath the tree, back propped up by the massive tree trunk, making mud pies and feeling totally at peace with the earth and nature.

The Oak tree is an archetype of history. It is likely that Native Americans sat under the old Oak, having lived in the Northeastern Ohio region long ago. I am amazed when I look at the Oak, its strength—the way it has stood the test of time, enduring high winds, winter snow storms, and the heat of a summer’s day, yet it remains, still producing acorns that provide nourishment for the squirrels and the potential of reproducing its own life cycle.

The mighty Oak reminds me of the counseling process. People come with their history; the story of what has been. There are often things to be dealt with that come from deeply rooted experiences, wounds, emotions, and old behaviors that no longer work. In order to challenge outlived ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving, we need to be grounded with roots as strong as the mighty Oak. Deep, enduring roots are sometimes not our heritage from early life, but in counseling, it is possible to develop strong roots that foster the process of growth. It is also possible to develop greater strength to stand the winds of discouragement, change, and loss, and at the same time, be able to live life with the carefreeness of a summer’s day as a child rides a swing in the sway of the Old Oak.

[Synchronicity: Imagine my delight when I relocated to a new office in Akron at Jefferson Park and saw an Oak tree was the logo of the complex – simply delightful!]

The Sun

The century plus farmhouse at Sunlight Farm faces due east and west so that one can see the sunrise and set each day. The sun reminds me of the warmth and light that it takes to produce growth. It is also a symbol of the cycle of life as it appears each morning and gives way to the darkness at nightfall.

The sun reminds us of our life journey. Sometimes it’s all sunshine and at other times the sunset gives way to darkness as we experience loss, forced change, and general upset with lives that are discontent or not working well.

The sun is a wonderful reminder that life renews and regenerates daily! The sun’s density, power, and far reaching gifts to us on earth provide an archetype for the counseling process. The sun is a symbol of hope and trust in the process of life, that we can count on the power of the light to nourish us, restore us, and light a pathway to greater peace and possibilities.