When times get especially rough

Life is rarely easy, but we know times are especially tough right now.

We know how fatigued and frustrated you are with Zoom meetings, constant changes in your schedules, wondering whether you’ll have to drop everything and start playing teacher next week, and remembering to bring a fresh mask everywhere you go. We know you’d be happier if you never heard the word “COVID” again and if you could turn on the news and see something other than angry arguments about political issues.

All you want is for life to get back to normal, even if you’re not sure what “normal” means anymore.

We see you and we understand, because we’re feeling many of the same things. Like you, we’re doing our best to adapt to all these challenges, and like you, we wish we didn’t have to do that. Like you, we have days that are pretty good and days when we just want to sit in a quiet room to enjoy the silence.

Those feelings are normal, but if they’ve become overwhelming or if you’re starting to feel there’s no hope, we’d like to offer a suggestion. Perhaps you could benefit from creating the safe space available in counseling.

Therapy isn’t just for people who are struggling with a mental illness. It’s for people who are tired and don’t know what to do. It’s for people who are in life’s transitions. It’s for people who need a safe place to share what they’re feeling. It’s for people who need to know when it’s time to walk away from unhealthy aspects of their lives. It’s for people who feel so anxious they can’t sleep, find it tough to catch their breath, or have had what they think is a panic attack.

A professional counselor’s role isn’t to “fix” everything that seems wrong. Instead, counselors listen carefully to what you’re feeling and ask questions that help you get beyond the emotions and toward practical solutions that produce the positive change you want. Then they help you understand why you may feel the way you do and give you strategies for dealing with those feelings in the future. We can’t make COVID go away or change the behavior of someone who is troubling you, but we can help you respond in more constructive, more positive and healthier ways.

Making an appointment with a counselor is a great way to start. You probably won’t get all the answers you seek in that first session, but you’ll understand how the process works, and you’ll discover how much better it feels to talk things out with someone who listens and cares. Why not contact us today?

Jean Crane is one of Care to Change’s therapists. She has helped women and young adults cope with issues related to depression, anxiety, stress and trauma for over 15 years.