The "Broken" Human

I am regularly impressed with the humility of clients who walk in my door. To go to counseling is to admit to your own ego that you don't have it all together, and then to bravely confess that disappointment out loud to another human being.

Everyone should go to counseling.

For at least six months of your life, face yourself so directly that you're willing to examine what's working and what's not, with a companion trained to support you from a differentiated position. Put on your adult pants and own your ability to change. Counselors have nothing to gain from judging you. In fact, you'll more likely be cheered!

Most clients utilize their insurance when coming to counseling, which alters the process slightly. Insurance companies require a formal diagnosis in order to pay. Getting a diagnosis can be another blow to the ego, making you feel like there's something wrong with you--more wrong than the rest of the human population. But think of it more as a clarification. No one has their life all together. Some people just aren't ready to admit it.

A diagnosis is a clarification.

A diagnosis clarifies what's happening, giving it a name, and putting you on a prescribed path to healing. A diagnosis can be validating. Suddenly symptoms can make sense and you can feel less isolated, knowing you're not the only one whom this has happened to. There are standards for care for every diagnosis, researched and tried by educated, licensed clinicians held accountable by the public and regulatory boards.

A diagnosis is a tool for healing, not a justification for bad behavior.

With humility, clients take their new understanding and take action to acquire new skills, let go of old pain, and learn to care for themselves better. Someone who flies their diagnosis like a flag isn't actually ready to heal.

Humans are unique in the conglomeration of their personalities, but very, very similar in their overall makeup. We each have super powers and limitations. We each have something to contribute and ways we need help. Identifying how you work is a way to be more intentional and proactive toward the goals you have for yourself.