“To what kinds of truth does feeling lead?”
I stopped in my tracks when I read that line from a recent book review by novelist Justin Torres.
Feelings and truth…That’s really why most people come to therapy, often times without even realizing it.
Many of us are looking for the truth about why we keep repeating unhealthy behaviors or choices, or why we are so down on ourselves or the ones we love.
Feelings are the clues to what’s laying underneath the surface…Maybe it’s our dis-satisfaction with a job, our disappointment with where a relationship or friendship has led us, lingering trauma from a painful experience in the past.
Our feelings are a call to us, a nudge to stop what we are doing and look more closely at what is going on in our day to day, moment to moment life…To pay attention and see where self-care and changes can occur, like leaving a toxic relationship, resolving a conflict with someone we love, or letting go of what we cannot control.