Struggling to Connect?
When you find yourself in a social setting and people are talking about feelings or sharing about their experiences, do you stay quiet?
Does sharing your feelings and experiences make you uncomfortable?
When a partner tries to engage with you in an intimate discussion about how they feel or ask you how you feel do you change or avoid the discussion?
Do you often use humor as a way to deflect a conversation?
When you find yourself in a social setting and people are talking about feelings or sharing about their experiences, do you stay quiet?
Does sharing your feelings and experiences make you uncomfortable?
When a partner tries to engage with you in an intimate discussion about how they feel or ask you how you feel do you change or avoid the discussion?
Do you often use humor as a way to deflect a conversation?
There are many reasons people seek out counselling. When you narrow them all down it often comes to connection. People are struggling to connect with people currently in their lives, or with new people, or even with themselves. They don’t know how to let others in. Being able to connect with others and empathize about what they share and be able to share about ourselves in return is the foundation of a healthy and full life. Without the ability to share, connect and empathize we are left disconnected from the world and feeling very alone.
Feel and Experience Real Support
If you’re struggling to connect, this is where a support group can really help. A support group is a place where you can learn how to let people in and how to empathize with others. A support group is a place to start opening up and sharing with more than just your counsellor. One of the reasons a support group is safe place is because the counsellor moderates the group and helps the members to find safe and supportive ways to share and engage with each other. A support group is also very freeing. In the real world we have been interacting with our family, friends, and co-workers in a certain way for a long time. It often doesn’t feel safe to show up one day and be vulnerable with people we have known a long time. What will they think? What will they say? How will they react? It's easier to try out new skills and ways of being with a support group because they don’t know us. Because they don’t have long held opinions on how they think we are supposed to be. And because, like us, they are trying to change and members are openly supportive with each other.
Growing Together
Support groups are powerful for two main reasons. The first is what you just read about above. They are a safe place to develop and try new skills. To build new resources and to flourish. The second reason is because every time a member shares, it helps not only the person sharing but also everyone else in the room. There is power, hope, and healing in knowing that other people have had similar experiences or feel similar to the way we feel. And when we can share and connect with people around the stuff we are normally scared to say out loud, we are freed from the pain and guilt that was forcing us to stay hidden and locked out of real connection with others. If you hang out around younger children you might hear the phrase “sharing is caring”. It’s something we tell kids to encourage them to share a toy, playground equipment, a snack, anything really. And in this case sharing time, sharing stories, sharing consideration and openness and sharing support really is caring. And when you do this for others, and they do it for you, it's a wonderful thing to experience.
Feel and Experience Real Support
If you’re struggling to connect, this is where a support group can really help. A support group is a place where you can learn how to let people in and how to empathize with others. A support group is a place to start opening up and sharing with more than just your counsellor. One of the reasons a support group is safe place is because the counsellor moderates the group and helps the members to find safe and supportive ways to share and engage with each other. A support group is also very freeing. In the real world we have been interacting with our family, friends, and co-workers in a certain way for a long time. It often doesn’t feel safe to show up one day and be vulnerable with people we have known a long time. What will they think? What will they say? How will they react? It's easier to try out new skills and ways of being with a support group because they don’t know us. Because they don’t have long held opinions on how they think we are supposed to be. And because, like us, they are trying to change and members are openly supportive with each other.
Growing Together
Support groups are powerful for two main reasons. The first is what you just read about above. They are a safe place to develop and try new skills. To build new resources and to flourish. The second reason is because every time a member shares, it helps not only the person sharing but also everyone else in the room. There is power, hope, and healing in knowing that other people have had similar experiences or feel similar to the way we feel. And when we can share and connect with people around the stuff we are normally scared to say out loud, we are freed from the pain and guilt that was forcing us to stay hidden and locked out of real connection with others. If you hang out around younger children you might hear the phrase “sharing is caring”. It’s something we tell kids to encourage them to share a toy, playground equipment, a snack, anything really. And in this case sharing time, sharing stories, sharing consideration and openness and sharing support really is caring. And when you do this for others, and they do it for you, it's a wonderful thing to experience.
Vulnerability is the birthplace of connection and the path to the feeling of worthiness. If it doesn’t feel vulnerable, the sharing is probably not constructive. — BRENE BROWN
We are currently collecting names of people who may be interested in Group Therapy. Please use our Contact Page to let us know if that’s you.
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