Talking therapy. We just sit and talk - right? Well, yes, and no.
Have you ever sat down next to someone and in moments noticed your mood change? Do you ever see yourself mirroring the body language of someone you are close to, when you didn't mean to? Have you ever looked into someone's eyes and somehow felt what they seem to be feeling?
We are more than just a mind. We do more than think. We are physical beings, and our physicality is where our consciousness and mind come to life.
In psychotherapy a client and therapist sit together in a room, and more passes between them than just words. We sense each other. This is part of what makes therapy work, we experience a warm relating, we are met, however we are, with authentic reactions and with support. That support can be in many forms: challenge, affirmation, humour to name a few.
The role of a therapist is to sense what is happening, and to help a client to experience more of themselves. We can do this by relating in the way clients need us to, drawing on our resources to be who and how the client metaphorically needs us to be. We offer reparative experiences to begin to heal old relational wounds.
We do this by truly showing up in the room. We do this by offering ourselves fully in our energy, which is a different kind of relating to our usual relationships. As therapists we do not offer the story of ourselves or our lives, we instead offer our humanity and our understanding, and we offer insights from what we notice deep in relationship with our clients.
The job of a psychotherapist is a privilege, and a responsibility. We bring our unique way of being to the relationship, and help our clients to do the same.
If you’d like to experience being in a meaningful relationship that helps you accept and appreciate yourself, and grow, then give psychotherapy a go.
