So where to start ? okey dokey well number one , I am NOT a writer as anyone who ever came in contact with me academically will tell you,especially my tutors when studying for my qualifications ! but that's story for a different platform or maybe I will delve into it at some point.
When I think about the struggle I had academically studying for my qualifications I know it had a devastating effect on my mental health throwing me back to my school days being told I was never going to amount to much . Possibly that was the beginning of the need to help people who knows ? . Luckily I was in therapy throughout my studies and beyond because undertaking a qualification to become a counsellor is huge and can potentially bring up memories thoughts and feelings that have been supressed from childhood, sounds hard doesn't it ! so the question is why would we put ourselves through it? well it make us much better counsellors. In order to ask a client to fully trust you and open up to you , you as the counsellor need to have been able to do that themselves , most counsellors go into counselling because we have experienced things in our lives that have been difficult and need to be dealt with safely , therefore by going through therapy ourselves we then have an idea of how you the client feels going into therapy for the first time . I know through experience that walking through the therapists door for the first session or even picking up the phone to book an appointment is daunting to say the least .
I have no problem in writing that I have had over 200 personal therapy sessions myself , I am proud I was able to be brave enough to ask for help but also absolutely bricking it the first time I knocked on the therapists door , I will let you in to a secret I was angry I was there , I had been advised to go by my doctor to learn to deal with my chronic pain and I was pissed off I didn't need counselling I wasn't angry I just frowned a lot and cried but as it turns out I very much needed therapy so much so that on the first session I was asked why I thought my doctor referred me , I thought for a bit and decided right you wanted me to tell you why I'm angry so I will ! I started talking and didn't stop for 50 mins but I came out of that session a bit lighter. It wasn't always like that at the end of a session sometimes I came out and felt like I had been flattened with a lot to go and process , this is reality but I was willing to see it through and I am here today to tell the tale and able to cope with life better , I became a counsellor for goodness sake !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I love my job I am passionate about mental health awareness removing the stigma around it . It wont be the last time I will have therapy and that is ok , having therapy helps me to deal with issues and become a better version of myself a better counsellor and happier ! which then enables me to help others .
A word of warning anyone who has an aversion to lack of grammar or grammar in the wrong places or the odd spelling mistake then avert your eyes and take a deep breath because I will try but the dyslexic in me is a rebel and feels there is more important things in life than being shamed into putting a comer in the right place which yes yes I know makes a sentence make more sense but you'll get the gist I promise ;-) .
This is a B.L.O.G on mental health , there will be some research I have found or things I have views on and want to share with you all or resources I want to share , I cant promise to be serious all the time because lets face it we all need some fun and laughter :-) .
This is completely out of my comfort zone but hey that's how we learn and grow .
Be kind to yourselves take five minutes out of your day to take some deep breaths and ground yourself .
Vivienne
fairwindscounselling.com