16 October 2019
Where you are right now is deserving of respect.
It is my firm belief that therapy is a process and not an end destination. I have been involved with psychotherapy for half of my life and in the beginning, I worked hard in my own personal therapy because I wanted to be “sorted.” I wanted to deal with my issues…and I have. But what I have also learned is that this is an ongoing process. I don’t think there is a point when you can stop and say, “ I am now sorted,” there is always something else, this is the human condition. Sometimes you may grapple with your issues on your own, sometimes you may search for other people’s wise words in books and sometimes you may seek the support of a therapist, all of these processes show that you are taking your life seriously.
In my experience dealing with one’s issues is a bit like peeling an onion, there is always another layer but rather than finding this to be disheartening I would invite you to see this as a cause for self-appreciation. If you are self-reflective and you think about how you are in the world you are doing the work. What else can any of us do?
I am not advocating being complacent in your life. But I think appreciating the journey you are on and the challenges you have faced is an important step in living the life you want to live. We are all doing the best that we can in the moment. This is the starting point from which to make changes in your life. You know where you started from, you know the challenges you have faced and the compromises you have made and now you might want to think about what you would like to be different and how you will achieve this.
Know where you are right now is deserving of respect. Change is easier to accomplish from a position of strength and feeling good about yourself, feeling bad about yourself leads to addictive behaviours.
Don’t hesitate to contact me if you want to discuss having a course of counselling.
Paul Redpath
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