Welcome to the hot mess that is life. I hope to help you learn to laugh and cry and enjoy every terribly, wonderful moment.
The idea behind this blog was to create a space to share what I have learned in my time as a mental health therapist. I hope to open up the conversation about mental health and overall well-being and challenge the notion that we all need to seek some type of perpetual happiness. Let’s share stories and information and help each other have realistic expectations for life. It is normal to have difficult emotions! A person can be truly content, even happy, with their life in general but would be expected to feel sad or upset or angry over the loss of a job or death of a loved one. Here is the secret: accept that difficult emotions and pain are part of life… That doesn’t mean dwell on pain or allow it to overcome and steal what is good but it allows you to remain in power of your own psyche. Accept an emotion as a true and valid part of your existence and it will begin to have less power over you. Think of the analogy of quicksand, the harder you fight it, the worse the predicament gets.
Everyone has pain and difficult emotions in life, and everyone will struggle with them at least a little. I have come across many people who are surprised to learn that therapists and other mental health professionals often struggle with similar problems to that of our clients.
SURPRISE!
Therapists are also human. What that means is that we deal with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship issues, and everything in between. So, the real question is how do we manage it?
The truth is that many therapists don’t. Burnout is extremely high in this field for many reasons. Sometimes, it is because we are in low-paying jobs with high caseloads, sometimes it is because insurance companies and other funding sources don’t really understand what we do but still get to choose how/when/where we do it, sometimes clients impact us more than we are prepared to handle, sometimes it is E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G!
Therapists understand self-care and usually have a strong sense of self but it doesn’t stop us from struggling. We have ALL the tools at our disposal and know how to use them but we still need help. We rely on social and professional support to get us through and allow ourselves to laugh and cry when needed.
The struggle doesn’t derail empowerment, it is a necessary step toward empowerment. Awareness about our struggles is a huge part of becoming empowered and self-assured.
It is okay to need help. It is okay to struggle. It is okay to have the right answers and still fail sometimes. It is okay to be wherever you are today, and don’t forget to reach out for additional help! Seriously… I want to help!!
For those seeking therapy services: If you live anywhere in Tennessee, you can complete a New Client Inquiry Form to request a free consultation about start therapy with me (check out the FAQs for more info) or visit my Resources page for other options.
For those just seeking support and information: Please subscribe to the blog and comment to keep the conversation going!
Empowered Counseling 