The Best Things About Counseling

Friends and family members can be an excellent support system to all of us—especially at the times when life gets difficult and they happen to be close to us. After all, they know us best. They feel connected to us; they have the best intentions; and they will fight for us if needed.

However, what do you do, if for some reason, your friends or family members are the very source of your distress? Or what do you do when you and your friends are struggling with something at the very same time when you need them the most?

Who gets the support first? What if you are simply out of sorts yourself, and you cannot show up for your friend?

Often, you might push away, minimize, or ignore your own pain and need for comfort at the expense of others. You may feel somehow deprived, sad, and unimportant.

The good news is that if you open your mind and heart for something new—such as counseling—after the first session, you might feel so much better!

Here Are The Best Things About Counseling:

• It is YOUR hour! You get to talk! You no longer have to feel guilty for talking too much about yourself!

  You can talk about whatever is most present and prudent for you. Now, remember, if you picked a good therapist, she/he will not let you ramble for an hour—she/he might stop you, slow you down, ask you questions, offer different insights—but all of that would be about you and for you! Now, how cool is that to have the undivided attention of your therapist for a full hour?

• YOU will have a chance to bounce off your ideas without worrying about being judged or ridiculed!

  We—therapists—believe that most, if not all of our behaviors, make sense if we put them in context (some behaviors are not right, but they still make sense). What does that mean for you? It means that no matter what we hear from you, you will get our unbiased and objective opinion about your particular situation, without being judged.

• YOU will feel better, only by talking about what is bothering you.

  Daniel Siegel talks about the “name it to tame it” concept. It has to do with helping you name what you feel, instead of getting overwhelmed by your experience. Once that happens, you are able to feel more emotionally organized and you can tame your feelings. It really can be that simple. Sometimes, you may need multiple sessions, but the idea is the same. Talking helps.

Are you needing to talk to someone and have all of the attention on YOU? If you are ready to talk, I am ready to listen and guide.