Emotional pain can be difficult to overcome. This sort of pain can stem from many different situations: an abusive relationship, a horrible accident, a divorce, a violent attack, the death of someone close to you.
If not dealt with, this kind of pain can be debilitating; it can cause stress, anxiety, and depression. Many people have a hard time healing from emotional pain on their own, but they don’t know where to look for help or are too scared to ask for it. Therapists can help you get to the bottom of your pain and help you live a better life.
Here are three things that your therapist will ask of you:
Acknowledge the pain. This seems like an obvious step, but in many cases, it isn’t. We live in a world where we aren’t supposed to take long to move on. People around us are understanding at first, but after a while, they wonder why you aren’t “over it” yet. In order to live our daily lives, we sometimes deny our emotional pain. We’ve learned how to keep the pain at bay so we can go through the motions our daily lives, but by denying the problem we let it fester inside. In order to heal you must acknowledge the problem, and remind yourself that your pain is real and your feelings are valid.
Start releasing the past. Keep in mind that what you focus on is what will grow. If you are full of sadness, regret, and desire for revenge, then those feelings will become your reality. Instead, focus on seeing through those memories and feelings. Take control of your past; move from the position of being the victim to being the person in charge.
Be kind to yourself. Don’t judge yourself for being wounded. This is a process, and everyone goes through the process at a different pace. There are layers to uncover; as these layers are revealed, you will be able to talk about them so you can heal and move on. Unfortunately, there isn’t a timeline of when you will be “healed” or, for example, what you should be feeling on week three. Your therapist will be able to help you through this process.
Sometimes painful memories can be triggered; a song, a place, a person from the past, almost anything can cause unwelcome memories to come flooding in. A therapist can talk you through those triggers and help you find healthy ways to deal with them. Making peace with your past can be hard work, but you don’t have to do it on your own.
If you would like to set up an appointment to see Reka, you can reach her at 402-881-8125. You can also email her at reka@omaha-counseling.com. You can stay connected with us on Twitter or Facebook.
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