Hey all, Amelia here with your Dochas blog post. Many of my clients have come to therapy asking for coping strategies for negative emotions and self-help techniques recently. I immediately laugh because honestly, there are so many coping strategies out there – you can google any technique you could possibly desire.
Asking for self-help techniques is a very Western way of viewing therapy – “give me something to do to feel better on the inside”. Sound familiar?
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good to-do list as much as the next person, and sometimes we even make lists in our therapy sessions. However, I find that clients look for any way to avoid feeling their feelings. It’s a lot easier to try a breathing exercise than to do a deep internal dive and acknowledge the emotions that are lurking within.
Why We Try to Suppress our Emotions
What does that mean for our sessions? That means I will gently guide you toward feeling your feelings. I can feel some of you recoiling – feelings can be a lot to handle on our own and it’s not like anyone taught in school about our emotions. The “Inside Out” movies did a good job of giving us language to talk about them, but the majority of clients, myself included, were told to repress our emotions by our caregivers. If our caregivers were emotionally disconnected from themselves, how could they possibly create space for our emotions?
How Therapists Can Help You Feel Your Emotions
That’s where therapists come in. We have both the training and the knowledge to hold space for your emotions – without asking you to shut them down. Frankly, emotions don’t have to be scary. Emotions make us human, and not sitting with them makes us feel cut off from ourselves. That means in the first few sessions, I’ll encourage you to sit with your feelings and let me know what’s coming up. For many new clients, it’s crying, being upset, but feeling much better after the emotions have been acknowledged and released.
If your emotional ‘check engine’ light is on, don’t worry, we’ve got you. Please reach out to Dóchas at 780-446-0300 or info@dochaspsych.com – we would be happy to work with you.
About Dóchas Psychological
Dóchas Psychological Services is a well-established and trusted therapy clinic located in Spruce Grove, Alberta. At Dóchas we value the idea that everyone deserves a safe space. Through connection and education, our team works hard to build a trustworthy relationship with each of our clients. It is our goal to create a community for our clients to feel like they belong.
Disclaimer
Information provided through Dóchas Psychological Services blogs or vlogs is meant for educational purposes only. They are NOT medical or mental health advice. You can read more about our disclaimer here.
