Dana Webster- Dana Webster
It Takes Courage
I know it takes courage to ask for help especially when it comes to mental health. If you haven't tried counselling before, the unknown of it can be scary. Perhaps you imagine all manner of forced emoting, and metaphorical scab-picking. Or, maybe you've experienced therapy in a way that made you feel too vulnerable too soon.
Common Fears of Counselling
Fear of being judged & misunderstood
Fear that counselling is necessarily long-term
Fear of opening up to a stranger
Fear of confronting the issue(s)
Fear of change aka the unknown
Fear of losing control
Fear of all-consuming emotions
Fear of appearing weak
Fear that our problems do not matter
No one sails through life unscathed. It is the very nature of being human. In our increasingly isolated lives we have fewer people to support us and we are left to cope with adversities on our own. There is also the popular notion that only other people experience mental health issues which is, of course, not true.
The fact is you are already living with the impact of that which hurt you. Unattended, those wounds fester and spill over into all aspects of your life. By not seeking help, the impact is in control of you. When you start the healing process, you are in the driver’s seat.
It might help to liken mental health to physical health. If you fall and break your leg, you go to the hospital and have it set, you take the time to heal, and you follow up with physiotherapy to get your leg back to good working order. People around you do not judge you for attending to the wound or expect that you will fix it yourself.
An effective counsellor encourages you to take the lead and they go at your pace. They take the time to get to know you, to build trust, and ensure empathy. There are no quick fixes nor should there be. This is your life and it deserves all the care and attention you can give it.
Find out if we are a good fit for counselling. Book a free 30-minute consultation.
