Bravely Reach for Connection

I often notice my own tendency to withdraw from others when I am feeling pain, which only serves to make me feel even more isolated, alone, and without the love I am needing at the time. In my psychotherapy practice I see this often, many clients report the natural desire to pull back when they are hurting. With mindfulness and introspection we can begin to see that this desire to avoid pain is the thing that often keeps us from healing and having the connection we really need. In times where we feel the most shame, if we can see that our experience is not unique in that others have probably felt that same suffering, we can then choose to be brave enough to reach out instead, in order to deepen the engagement that will help us heal and be less alone in the world.

#connection #shame #therapy #vulnerability