my favorite part about therapy
"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change." - Carl Rogers
Many of us seek change when starting therapy. Perhaps we pursue change because “becoming a better version of ourselves” seems like the right path. Maybe it's a necessity for our functioning or for nurturing relationships. Or perhaps we're simply exhausted from the repetitive cycles we find ourselves trapped in.
When you embark on your therapeutic journey, change will inevitably occur. There's something extraordinary about truly listening to ourselves and being heard by someone, it profoundly impacts our path. Throughout therapy, you might acquire new coping skills or learn to manage situations more effectively. You may discover the capacity to deal with distressing emotions that once overwhelmed you. Your journey through life may take on the hue of a completely transformed person, and that's truly wonderful.
However, my favorite aspect of therapy is finding peace with the things you cannot change. It's the journey of acceptance, the quest for understanding. It involves looking ourselves in the mirror and, perhaps for the first time, truly getting to know who we once were, what we truly desire, and who we genuinely are. With this comes the realization that we, as humans, are far more complex than we ever imagined, and that's a marvelous revelation.
It's also about allowing yourself to feel anger when you realize that you are not defined by what happened to you, but rather, what happened has left its mark. It's about granting yourself permission to simply "be" instead of constantly "doing," recognizing that this current version of yourself also deserves to be seen, heard, and understood.
Healing is also about the the things we cannot change, just like grief is also about the things that did not happen.
Achieving consciousness means becoming aware of our own existence—with all its feelings, thoughts, sensations, memories, experiences, and surroundings. Being conscious may be painful at times, but it also teaches us that there is no joy without pain, just as there is no shadow without light. Vulnerability is an inherent part of life.
This is what it means to be human.
So yes, diving deep into the sea of our internal world may bring about many external and necessary changes, but most importantly, it allows us to live a life in true authenticity, embracing all the parts that make us who we are. And that is my favorite part.
I am here when you're ready for that dive.
