Getting it Out
“You can’t heal what you never reveal.”
We all get stuck. Have felt lost. Prayed our reality was a bad dream.
In these moments, we need guidance. We need our wisest and healthiest mentors. We need those who have navigated their own catastrophes to lay out the steps for getting through our own.
Having lived and worked for over two decades alongside those struggling with some of the most severe behavioral health disorders — active psychosis, post traumatic stress, addiction, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation — has given me the opportunity to realize life’s toughest situations can be navigated, reframed, and used as fuel to get better. They have also taught me what can manifest inside of us if we don’t get out what needs to go.
My good friend told me the other day that she “broke up with her therapist”. They had been meeting weekly for almost 8 years. When I asked her what had shifted, and what made her feel that now was the time, she replied, “In the beginning, it was all about what he did. That took years to get through. When I realized that we had been focusing on the wrong person all this time, I started to get to work. Now, I finally feel I have the insight, tools, and confidence to stay on this path -- of working on my self-growth, forever. ”
Confronting ourselves is scary. Going backwards isn’t always fun. Accepting responsibility can take time.
Some people need therapy, coaching, or consulting. Some need a supportive group of friends and family, or others sharing the same challenge. Some need books, time alone, or a change of scenery. Some need to hit the punching bag, sneak in that run, or do whatever it is that gets them in their flow state.
Getting to those spaces can be the hardest part. Fear is powerful. It keeps us frozen. But when we stand up to fear, and take that first step, it gets easier. We build momentum and attract and invite healing energy into our lives.
Have you tried?