How Individual counseling is like painting a blank canvas
Close your eyes and picture a white, blank canvas. The paint brush is in front of you. A palette of colors calls your name. Pick it up. Capture your thoughts. Freeze it for a moment. Feel your feeling. Take in a deep, slow breath and open your eyes.
The canvas is your life. YOU create it. Self-creation is power. It is your voice, your vision, your world. Who do you allow on your canvas? Are you picking them, or are they picking you? Did you find your job, or did it pick you? Do you listen to your voice or is drowned out with feelings of fear, uncertainly, or a loyalty to a past canvas?
Take a moment to think about why you are looking at websites of therapists. It is okay to feel that things are not working. You want, need change. You may have needed it weeks, months, years ago. But here we are today. As you start each day you are hoping it’s not another episode of Groundhog Day. “Today needs to be different.” Your voice now may say things like: “Everyone else always looks like they have it all together.” “There must be something wrong with me and that’s why I’m not in a long-term relationship.” “I don’t know anyone who feels life is this hard.” “I am ashamed of the mistakes I make with parenting, being a friend, a spouse.” A life of those negative, self-punishing beliefs deserve change. If that’s your canvas now, picture a new canvas full of positive affirmations, self-forgiveness, hope and even some excitement. You may be laughing at me right now. That’s okay, I get it. Committing to yourself and working in counseling can get you that canvas. Hopefully, you may even throw out the other one (after taking away any learned lessons from it of course).
Commitment to yourself. A new concept, perhaps. You may be uncomfortable even considering it. Are statements screaming inside like “I don’t have time.” “Doing this will take away from doing from others.” “I’m already juggling too much.” I hear you screaming. Remember though, you need change. I will work with you to believe you deserve change. When you truly feel you deserve life to be easier, that you grant permission to have an easier life by taking care of yourself your masterpiece is created.
Sound pretty good so far? But what really does counseling or psychotherapy really means? If you ask 100 people, you’ll probably get 100 answers. For us, counseling will start as us mutually interviewing each other to see if we are a good fit. Therapy is a relationship so starting of being honest is essential. If we are, we start working. We’ll talk together on goals and what you want to get out of our sessions. Your commitment will lead you to practicing and work out of the space that we share together. We will celebrate positive changes and may need to go back to the drawing board on some things. We both work together. Change will happen because of You! Us connecting is the first powerful step.