Vanessa van Vliet - Psychologist/ Psychotherapist

August 4: a date that is engraved in our bodies, minds and hearts.
A day that is hard to forget. As the date approaches, writing this post was not easy.

This post is dedicated to all our victims and survivors. It’s dedicated to us all.

Psychotherapy is about an alliance built between 2 individuals: the therapist and the client. It’s about building a relationship of trust that will enable the client to truly sit with themselves in the presence of another person. While one’s approach and chosen techniques are important, they remain secondary to the human connection.

We may have been taught to deny, minimize and fear our unpleasant feelings. We may have learned to perceive those feelings as negative, threatening and therefore we set them aside. So instead of riding the wave, we find ourselves stuck in patterns of dysfonctionnel behavior and coping strategies that no longer help us cope and therefore defeat their purpose.

Here is the things though, feelings are just feelings. We are fully equipped to handle all range of feelings, even the most painful ones like fear, insecurity, sadness, etc.
By allowing ourselves to acknowledge the presence of the existent feeling, we give ourself permission to face it, process it and let go it.

So with every genuine moment of heartfelt feeling comes the opportunity of growth .
With every genuine moment of heartfelt feeling comes the opportunity of release.
With every genuine moment of heartfelt feeling comes the opportunity of empowerment.
With every genuine moment of heartfelt feeling comes the opportunity of freedom.

To a 2021 filled with lessons learnt, inner peace, good health, self care and ofcourse Hope!

Happy new year!

Credit:

Thought of the day .

Life has possibly never been so challenging as is it now in Lebanon, starting with the political situation, followed by COVID and ending with the economic recession that we are now facing.

As bleak as things may feel, it is in this particular moment, in the midst of helplessness and hopelessness, that reaching out to each other, to professionals in urgent cases, is crucial to save a life.

Please reach out to Embrace helpline on 1564 if life has become too overwhelming and unbearable.
Please share Embrace’s number when you deem it necessary.

We are all in this together.