You don't have to be mad to seek counselling! - Jayne Briggs - Life Solutions - Life Coaching

"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom" - Anais Anin

The above quote sums up beautifully, the word 'procrastination'.  When we are in a place that is becoming so painful, yet we feel powerless to do anything about it, then resistance plays a big part in stopping us from taking responsibility for our lives and seeking the help we need, in order to improve it.

Unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to 'counselling therapy', which means some people still believe that you have to be 'mad' to seek counselling.  Nothing could be further than the truth.  The kind of person who seeks counselling comes with all sorts of issues, such as:-

• Relationship issues
• Marital breakdown
• Domestic Violence
• Stress and anxiety
• Depression
• Conflict at work
• Destructive behaviour patterns
• Loss or bereavement
• Anger management
• Feelings of panic or being out of control
• Loneliness
• Confidence & self esteem 
  
  "If you feel you have been tolerating a situation for far too long and it is literally becoming too painful to remain in such a place, then  maybe now is the time to do something about  it?  Particularly if you are getting regular messages from your body, that you choose to ignore, such as headaches, backache, stomach pain, indigestion?" 

Let me give you an example.  You may feel unhappy in your relationship and your dissatisfaction is leading to constant criticism of your partner.  This may not always be verbal.  It could be the resentment you feel towards your partner is escalating into ANTS (automatic negative thoughts), which continue to nag at you every minute of the day, or particularly when you are in their company.   These automatic negative thoughts that you choose to continually feed, perpetuate into reality and before you know it, you find your relationship is breaking down.  You no longer communicate effectively with your partner, your sex life becomes non-existent and the fun and laughter is fast disappearing from your life.  You then hear yourself saying to a close friend, "we don't seem to have anything in common anymore, there must be more to life than this"!  Does this sound familiar?

If so, then ask yourself this question, would it be far more beneficial to your health and emotional wellbeing to seek help from a professional therapist, who could help you to deal with your feelings and maybe challenge them?  Or, would it be 'madness' to stay stuck in this very painful place which will inevitably lead to self destruction (feeling depressed or suicidal) or self defeating behaviours (turning to alcohol, drugs or other stimulants)?  Because, when you are this unhappy, believe you me, if your feelings are not dealt with in an appropriate way, they will manifest in the physical form, which will lead to higher levels of stress, increased blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. 

This may sound far-fetched and over-dramatic, but for some people who are experiencing this much discomfort, it is no joke!  I have seen too many cases where this is happening to a lot of people, and it has taken something drastic to happen before they finally face up to doing something about it.

I run my counselling practice from 273 Glossop Road, Sheffield.  I also offer telephone counselling for the busy person, who cannot seem to fit in an appointment outside of working hours.  We also run courses for small businesses, organsations and communitygroups.  Contact us for further information or if you wish to make an appointment.