Trading Places

Who is in charge you or your emotions?
Would you like to trade places so that you are in charge?

Our language identifies us with our emotions — “I am depressed”, or “He is always scared”, or “She seems to be such an angry person” — we speak as though the person is the problem.

YOU are not the problem. The PROBLEM is the problem.

Perhaps you have developed a “story” in which your “problem emotion” rules. In other words, your emotion has become bigger than you, which can feel overwhelming. If you feel uncomfortable enough to seek change (it’s important you desire the change you seek) — if you would like to create a new narrative where you are in charge of your emotions — therapy might help you make that change.

The process of therapy would be to first separate you from the problem emotion. You might tell me the story of the problem, such as when anger, depression, or stress, first showed up in your life. Once we identify the problem as, for example, anger, questions might be: “What is anger getting you to do? How does anger make you feel? Is that what you want? Is this working for you?”

I am your facilitator, collaborator, assistant director. Together we examine your relationship to the problem. For example, “Anger gets me in trouble and I do not like that.” We explore your strengths, resources, and successes. We find new possibilities. We co-create a new, preferred story, putting you back in charge.