From a distance, Maddy’s life looks just right. She excelled in school, has a good job, outside interests and owns her own home. She loves her dog, her neighborhood, and feels lucky to have friends. Maddie prides herself on her ability to keep it together and keeps all her bad thoughts and feelings in a box.
One day, the box bursts and Maddy experiences a tsunami of sensations, thoughts, and feelings. Some days she feels anxious and hyper and other days numb. She can go to work, but she’s terrified of losing it in front of coworkers.
Talking to friends and family isn’t helping because she doesn’t really know why she is so unhappy. She feels like a fraud.
Maddy saw a therapist when she was younger, but she’s not sure it was helpful. What she does know though is that talking with her friends and family isn’t enough. If she’s going to regain her footing and begin to make sense of her experience, she needs to get professional help.
Stepping into the Work
So, Maddie takes a deep breath and steps into the journey of therapy. Over time, it helps her sort through what’s hidden in that box. With patience and courage, she learns to reconnect with and heal the parts of her that were hurt, disappointed, neglected and abandoned.
Maddy learns how her body responds to stress and develops new ways to take care of herself. She learns that being fully herself – with the parts she likes and doesn’t like -allows her to recognize, risk, and embrace opportunity.
She feels connected – to herself and to the world. In some ways, Maddy feels like she’s now meeting the world with a strong sense of who she is and what she wants – for the first time.
Today Maddy can say out loud with conviction –
“I am proud of the woman I am and the woman I am becoming.”
Have you ever felt like Maddie? Like if one more thing doesn’t go your way, you might not be able to hold it together anymore? Or do you relate to Maddie because your life looks good to other people, but on the inside you’re really hurting? If so, counseling can help.
Reach out to schedule a free 30 minute consult with one of our licensed therapists to learn more.
