Perhaps you've spent years saying to yourself ...
I should be able to cope.
Everyone else is able to manage this.
I just need to try harder.
Am I too sensitive.
Am I asking for too much.
Am I just lazy.
If I let people see how difficult life feels, they'll think I'm incapable.
Does life feel harder than it seems to for everyone else?
But inside ...
you're exhausted
you're constantly over analysing yourself
you feel like an imposter
you're terrified everything will fall apart
you don't know why life feels harder than it should
From the outside people see someone who's ...
coping
capable
thoughtful
generous
organised
Does any of this sound familiar?
You don't need to tick every box to benefit from therapy.
Many of the people I work with have spent years believing something is wrong with them or wondering whether their struggles are "serious enough" to ask for help. They've learnt to cope alone, pushed through difficult periods and convinced themselves they should be able to figure it out.
Therapy isn't about convincing you to think differently overnight.
It's about understanding where those beliefs came from, whether they're still serving you, and discovering that there may be a kinder—and more accurate—way of understanding yourself.
You might not be sure exactly what you need, or even be able to put into words what's wrong. You may simply know that the way things have been isn't working for you anymore. Counselling can give you space to slow down, make sense of what's been happening and begin to understand yourself in a different way.
Kellie Bannister, FdA, BSc (Hons), MBACP
Counselling online throughout the UK, and in East London
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