Typically by the time people come to counseling their lives have problems that seem overwhelming. I
find that when clients begin counseling, they often tell me that they are spiritually, mentally and emotionally tired. A goal
of recovery and healing is to learn to find calm and regeneration in the face of the storm. Healing
is not about avoiding the storms of life, but learning that when they come you can navigate the waters instead of being tossed
about and beat up.
I like to view the process of counseling as a wonderful journey of self-discovery. As a counselor,
I have had the privilege of being a "coach" to many wonderful people beginning this life-long journey.
Counseling is a process that helps one find the courage to discover who they are and what drives them to make the decisions
that they do. People often find that they have patterns of behavior that they have repeated time and again, recreating
the same problems over and over again in their lives. In counseling, we learn to identify those patterns of
behavior, understand them, and make changes in how we approach life, and the problems that are sure to come.
It is not our actions that usually get us into trouble, it is our reactions that
create the most chaos in our lives. On this journey of self-discovery, we learn to learn to stop, look, listen
and think before acting. We begin to understand that life is about joy, sorrow and everything in-between and to
experience those emotions instead of avoiding them is part of emotional growth. Maturity is discovering that
you don't always have to feel good to be OK. Recovery is learning to stay in the day and forgive the mistakes of
the past. It is about learning to face the future with anticipation and without fear. When a person learns
to take responsibilty for their own decisions, they are learning to take responsibilty for their life. We are each
responsible for our mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. When we are healthy in these areas, we have the ability
to face life with confidence- and serenity.
In the healing process we learn to discover our strengths and gifts and have compassion for our weaknesses.
We learn in this process that we are unique and special individuals with something to offer life and our world.
One of the greatest joys I have experienced as a counselor is when a client will call months, or even years
after this process and will say "I was going to call you when this situation came up, but I used the tools I learned
and got through it." Self-empowerment is what this journey is all about.
Blessing to you all,
Rhonda
