As I watch the news and observe the chaos that Covid 19 has created around the world I have a great deal of time to think. In my case my thoughts have been on the people I care about. I have called, texted, and face timed with friends and family members. In many cases I am just checking up on them to hear their voice and let them know that I care about them.
Being in the counseling field, emotions and how people feel are a major aspect of my business. We all have emotions, in some cases they are painful and difficult to sort out. How we feel is one thing, what we do with pent up emotion is another. As I have discussed in other posts, controlling such emotions is a part of what counseling attempts to provide support for the client in addressing. I often hear people say they are having a bad day, my response is it is not a bad day, just a day. People will often say “easy for you to say”, which is true, but here in lies the lesson for the client. How do we make a decision on how we want to feel?
There are methods to gain control and they will take practice to master. Our automatic responses are habitual, learned and in many cases triggered by something outside of ourself. Rude or angry actions of others, disagreements, or just acculated frustration of a series of events stimulate our emotions. Emotional and physical pain are connected and let us know that we are doing well or not. Maintaining our total well being is no small task and it takes a committment to do the things that enhance complete health.
At the end of the day, learning how to take care of ourselves is possible and in some cases professional support will make a difference. Do not be afraid to reach out for assistance, you are worth it.
