The Mental Emotional Health Blog

Consider this:  therapy is a guided learning process. You and a therapist/counselor can define where you are in life, how you generally function, and who you are. How are you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?  You have ideas (maybe some confusion or pain), and your therapist can provide ideas as well.  I strongly feel that a counselor should be trained to explain to you how you function and how you can grow and develop as a human being.  Symptoms and patterns are important, but they do not define you. You have the power to make the decisions.

Devote yourself to being a learner.  Some people disliked school.  Okay, some outright hated school.  Self-learning can take many forms, but doesn’t really ever stop.  You can improve the way you question yourself.  Now I’m not proposing that you start doubting yourself all the time.  I’m talking about having an internal dialogue about you. 

Healthy self-questioning could include the following examples. 

• How am I thinking right now; do I have have several, quick thoughts, or do I have one thought I am focusing on? 
• What was I thinking while that was happening? 
• How was I thinking? 
• What can I learn from this? 
• What is distracting me? 
• How are my emotions or memory involved in my thought process right now?

As a therapist, I am biased towards the therapy process of course. But it’s foolish to think that the therapy room is the only place people can learn about self and grow. A good therapist will identify your strengths and potential, and persuade you to use them. I believe a great therapist will do so well that you take credit for your own success and growth. A “thank you” is appreciated, though. We’re human too.