Today I spent half a day in CPR training. Afterwards, I found myself pondering on the importance of this critical procedure, and how it relates to #therapy. Soooo, you're the lucky winner of my inner dialogue! :)
"If the cabin loses pressure, air masks will drop from the ceiling. Please apply the mask to yourself first, and then help your neighbor."
You have probably heard this a thousand times on airplanes, and most people have become immune to it. We fiddle around, playing games on our cell phones. We read books or articles, or maybe we have already sunken into a deep slumber. The flight attendant is diligent, performing the instructions to the passengers as if it's his/her first time, yet very likely praying the flight will not require the use of the air masks since half the people weren't listening. It's a simple process, but it may not be so simple in a moment of chaos.
There is so much truth to this, especially when it comes to #mentalhealth. Sometimes we think #counseling is for everybody else but us. Add to that the mental health stigma, and we find more reasons not to listen to the inner cries for help. We keep ourselves busy because if we sit down for a moment, the feelings and sounds will become deafening and unbearable.
It's hard to tend to others when your inner world is less than calm. It's hard to tend to yourself when you are weighted down with #anxiety, #depression, and #trauma.
But...
If you give yourself permission to listen to that still, small voice inside, maybe you can hear it..."it's okay to apply your mask first. You need CPR."
My role as a #therapist is to provide CPR to you. You see, those things - the memories, the distresses, the worries, the loneliness - all of those things that are held in your neuro network and body require some form of pressure to be released. The techniques used to create the pressure may be in the form of #EMDR, #mindfulness, #CBT, #sandtray, or some other creative tool, but the greatest tool is the #therapeutic #relationship.
You see, you are not left to deal with the pressure by yourself. A good #therapist also provides rescue breaths so your heart doesn't stop from the pain of the release. It's okay to #breathe.
We stay. We support. We encourage. We help you work through your #transformation. We help you to #heal from the inside out.
Why?
So you can in turn provide CPR to someone else.
"As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal someone else." Maya Angelou
You see, I believe there is someone out there waiting for you to heal, so you can help them heal. It doesn't have to be in the form of therapy. We each have a unique gift. Yours doesn't have to look like mine and vise versa. It's important that you do what is true and authentic to you.
CPR - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. There are so many people with broken, hurting hearts in this world. Hearts that have literally stopped beating. People are walking around like the walking dead. But through relationship, caring, and sharing an overcoming testimony, a word of encouragement, and being supportive, you can bring hope and restoration to someone.
Your healing, my dear, is critical to the mission. It's critical to the mission of your life. It's critical to the mission - of life.
The air mask has dropped. It's time for you to administer healing to yourself - to allow yourself to be revived. A #therapist can do that with you. Your healing is important. You owe it to yourself.
Sure, we can't heal everyone, and honestly that's not your role. It's not mine either. But I've been called to someone, and that someone might be you. And you've been called to someone. Your healing is important, for the sake of humanity.
If you would like more information and you're ready to put on your mask, reach out. Let's have the discussion about what healing can look like for you.
Best,
Shelly