These are unique times. We are being tested individually and as a collective. Some of us will have built in resiliency and will navigate through the days with moderate ups and downs, acknowledging and honouring our emotions and maneuvering through the feelings with ease or at least a sense of grace. For others, these unique days may feel solitary or overwhelming. Days that feel like there is no escape or connection. Days that can be difficult to push through. Our coping will be unique to each of our personalities and our ability to feel grounded and resilient and our unique, individual response is neither right or wrong. Staying connected to an unbiased, skilled mental health practitioner may be a good tool in your personal toolbox to get you through this strange and uncharted new reality.
Adriana Komorniczak, RP, shares more:
“Self-isolation does not mean that we are emotionally isolated. It is so vital to be emotionally connecting with the ones we love and the ones we feel safest with. So what does emotional connection really mean and how do we know we’re doing/not doing this? To be emotionally connected means to know that our feelings matter (and that the feelings of our closest people matter to us), that we are attuned to by those around us (and we are attuning to their feelings as well) and that our emotions are being responded to in a way that shows us that what we feel is important to others. The key to emotional connection is SAFETY, where we have the freedom to share our deepest feelings of fears, pain and/or hurts with our closest people, receiving back a non judgmental and compassionate response.
As hopeful as this all sounds, realistically we do not all feel emotionally connected at all times in our homes, with our partners or within our families. Especially at a time like this where stress is high and anxieties about the current situation and future persist, it will be even harder to find this safety in our homes because of the amount of vulnerability it takes to be emotionally connected to another person. To be vulnerable is very difficult when emotional reactivity is high and our world just doesn’t feel safe right now.
Psychotherapy is a chance to find this safety and emotional connection with a therapist and to have a safe space to outlet all that we feel and all the loads that we are carrying. It provides us with the secure, confidential and non-judgmental space we need to be emotionally vulnerable and to receive the necessary support that is so essential during this difficult time. People are reaching out more than ever and they are looking for support, connection and a sense of hope. We are so fortunate to have the capability and capacity to do so virtually via our online platform.
For clients who have had their in-person therapy interrupted with the closure of our clinic, it is very important to continue receiving support at this time. Work and progress towards therapeutic goals can continue; perhaps these goals will take a bit of a back seat in order to help you receive the support you need to deal what’s been put right in front of you right now, in these challenging times… that is totally expected and completely fine!
For new clients, this is a great time to begin counseling as for many of us, a lot of our difficulties are coming to the forefront as we are out of our routines and have been forced to stop, stand still and really be in our present; this can actually be a very therapeutic time for that reason. It may be the first time we’re spending so much time at home with our partners or families or we may be by ourselves. We may be feeling things we don’t understand, have never felt before, that we are worried about or are simply curious about.
Whichever the case, we are here for the emotional connection and support that you need. Contact us here at Thrive (connect@thrivemassagewellness.com) to check-in with your therapist (if you haven’t already) or to book in your first appointment. We are also offering free initial phone consultations to help determine if we are the right fit for you. We here at Thrive are so proud to be able to continue to serve our community’s mental well-being and want everyone to know that we are in this together! We are all feeling some of the same hard feelings and through this collective experience of what our community/society/world is going through, know that we can fully empathize with what you’re both feeling and needing at this time.”
Connect directly with Adriana at adrianak@thrivemassagewellness.com to book an initial phone consultation or to book a virtual therapy session.
