As a symbol, therapy stands for the potential to grow psychologically, to get to know ourselves more deeply and resolve issues we might encounter on our way through life. The therapeutic process is by extension symbolic of the way we learn to appreciate ourselves (and others) by becoming more self-aware, which enables us to confront life’s situations with maturity and without irrational fears. 

As Wendell tells Lori about a cartoon character who finds himself behind prison bars and cries for freedom while not noticing that there are no other walls to his cell, he introduces a powerful symbol in the context of a book on self-understanding and self-realization. The jail we put ourselves in is most frequently one that locks away our freedom to choose, to live fully, or to enjoy life. Within our psychological reality, such prisons have tiny cells and strong bars that prevent us from ever leaving, and crying for help usually does not bring assistance.

However, as in the cartoon Wendell mentions, our inner jails often contain no side walls, and if we look at our cells from a different perspective, we might realize that we have always been free.