Maimonides saw the refinement of character traits not only as a moral task but as genuine emotional therapy.
In his view, negative emotions such as anger, jealousy, or arrogance are real psychological illnesses, because they disrupt judgment and inner peace.
And just as a physician treats the body gradually, the soul also requires gradual healing:
Through awareness, practice, and responsibility for one’s emotions.
For example, a person prone to anger should practice distancing themselves from anger triggers, speaking gently, and remembering that anger does not help.
This is “therapy” in Maimonides’ language — not necessarily through conversation, but through actions that guide the heart