If you didn’t already know, I’m going to school to become a therapist. You know, the kind that help other people work through their issues. Shocking? Perhaps. Overwhelming? Definitely.
I’m reading this wonderful book called, On Being a Therapist, by Jeffrey Kottler. If you’re in a helping profession, I highly recommend it.
Anyway, he wrote something that has really stuck with me for the past week:
“It’s as if some practitioners believe that therapy and ongoing growth and development are for others, but not for themselves…What sort of hypocrites have we become when we ask people to do things that we are unwilling or unable to do ourselves?”
The first time I read it, I told myself, “Yeah. Those therapists with major issues should get help for themselves.”
But then I spent a few more minutes hours days thinking about it, and realized that I am one of those hypocrites. I don’t share my emotions with others. I shut out my own feelings all of the time. (a few cocktails might bring out some “truths”, but that’s the extent of it) How can I possibly expect my clients to share their feelings with me, if I’m unable to do so in my own life?
Basically, this realization shook me to my core and I decided to do something about it. So for the past 72 hours, I have been sharing. And I’m exhausted.
I don’t want this blog to turn into my whiny diary, but I do want to open up more. I’m not sure exactly what that will look like, but I wanted to let you know I am going through some changes and I might write about it from time to time. I hope that doesn’t scare you.
It scares the poop out of me.
Has anything changed your outlook on life or yourself recently? If you’re a blogger, how comfortable are you blogging about your real feelings?
-Mads
La Petite Pancake 