Working as a psychologist for many years has its perks. And I am not talking 401(K)-type benefits. I tend to think of them as my own private perks.
Here's a sampling:
I hear people tell me things they have never spoken openly about before.
Perk for me: I get to see how we allow ourselves to grow when we speak openly.
I get to help people evaluate their thoughts about problematic relationships.
Perk for me: I see how blocking our awareness of our own concerns or disappointments prolongs our problems.
I get to teach people how to unpack and discard their anxious thoughts.
Perk for me: I learn that anxiety is a force that can be dealt with and managed.
Double Perk for me: I realize how much of one's lifetime can be swallowed up by anxiety. I keep that awareness alive as much as I can so I can avoid sacrificing calmness.
I get to remind people that, in most cases, their fears are not going to come true.
Perk for me: I learn to put a limit on my anxious worrying and to try a more optimistic outlook.
I get to partner with people as they move on to try new things with less anxiety.
Perk for me: I get to learn how I can be braver than I think I am.
Now that I've shared my list of private perks with you, I hope you understand how these ideas are open for your benefit also. Use them to feel like a therapy patient, or to feel like a therapist, or to feel more like yourself. At very, very least please remember you are braver than you think you are.
