National Be Heard Day

Today is National Be Heard Day in the US.  It is a time for small businesses to shout out about their services and products.  Rather than shout about my business, I decided to write a blog about being heard in therapy.  In addition, I’ll share the benefits of being heard.

Endings

Recently, a client was ready to finish. As we were wrapping up the final session, they said that they had found therapy transformative.  They had worked hard and experienced significant change in themselves.  They found that they were thinking more clearly and they found life’s challenges less overwhelming and daunting.  Being heard by me contributed to the change they experienced.

It is a privilege to be a witness to someone’s struggles and to be a companion in their journey as they work through and find answers to their dilemmas.

Being Heard

Thinking about my client who found our work together transformation, I posed myself the question. What enables a client to transform?  Fundamentally, it is a combination of things:

• Being heard. Being able to say what you want to say without being judged is extremely empowering. It may take time to establish a relationship of trust.  However, once it is formed you may find that you will be able to share your deep thoughts and feelings.  You will find that you will be heard in all your pain and anguish.  And, I will listen to you with all my being enabling you to feel heard.
• Feeling understood. Not only is it my role to hear you, you also need to feel that I understand your feelings and thoughts. My way of demonstrating that I understand you is through my words, expressions, and body language.  Everything I say and the way I say it will be offered tentatively.  I never assume I know what you mean and I will always check that I have got it.
• Your perspective being accepted as valid.  How you perceive your experiences are unique to you. I will be alongside you, seeing your experiences from your point of view.  This is your experience and how you see it is valid – always.
• Feeling accepted.  By being accepted just as you are will help you to understand your experiences.  You will be able create a narrative that helps you make sense of your experiences.  Over time, you may become open to thinking about things differently.  You may find this experience transformative.

Being heard is powerful.  Are you ready to be heard?  If so, please contact me on 07970 296702 to arrange an appointment.  You can also find me on Counselling Directory.