Putting the Clarity in Clarity Therapy Helsinki
I believe that attaining a sense of clarity is one of the single biggest tools for overcoming mental health hardships. I believe this so strongly that when developing the name for my mental health practice I knew that the word clarity had to be included!
Attaining clarity is so crucial because when we can make sense of our internal landscape, we gain a more nuanced understanding of our external reactions. And only when a deeper level of understanding is created, can we begin to explore new healthier ways of behaving and a new way of feeling emerges.
This process is hard though and I get that. Diving into your own internal world can illicit uncomfortable memories, sensations, and feelings. I have all the respect in the world for those that venture down the path of creating a deeper understanding of themselves.
With this being said you may be wondering how this process works AND why to do it at all if it’s going to bring up painful memories.
Well, we can turn to research conducted by Dr. Siegel and Mary Hartzell to assist us to answer this. Their research on brain function tells us that certain experiences (especially ones from when we were young or those that have been traumatic) are stored in a portion of the brain that doesn’t have strong explicit memory recall. In other words, the brain does not remember these events in the way it does say the nice holiday you had last summer or the route you drive to work.
Traumatic memories are instead felt somatically through body sensations (think a rush of blood or an upset stomach) and may also cause us to react in inflexible and harsh ways. These reactions may come on so strongly and quickly that they feel overwhelming and even scary. Not just scary to those around us but to ourselves as well.
With all of this in mind exploring our internal landscape is so important because it is only then that we move the implicit memories our bodies hold to explicit memories that can then be processed.
I often say this work is the equivalent of taking hold of a flashlight and then together shining it into pockets of yourself that seldom see the light. Once something is in the light however we can deal with it and it stops being this scary mysterious force.
One powerful tool (or flashlight to continue the above metaphor) is self-reflection and journaling. When we reflect on the reasons why we react harshly and then journal the thoughts that come up we may find new realizations emerge. Sometimes though meeting with a mental health professional is the best choice because they can help guide you and keep you safe in the process of this uncovering.
When I work with clients the first step is always to develop a feeling of trust and safety. Once this is established you can expect me to gently inquire about key relationships you have had. I am interested in family members including parents and siblings, caregivers, past loves and how you feel about them now. Sometimes these relationships can be fraught with pain, anguish or grief and other times there can be happiness over the recollection of a warm experience. Often both experiences shine through.
I respect how hard this process can be. I know it takes time; that breaks are needed, and that large amounts of self-care are required. I am committed to developing a safe environment in which you set the pace to work through and process important elements of you. In other words, I am committed to helping you safely create a deeper level of Clarity.
If you are someone you know is interested in talking about this more you can always reach out and reserve a free 15-minute phone call.
Photo Courtesy of Kaique Rocha
