CHANGE IS HARD

Asking for help can be hard. Sharing your most intimate thoughts and feelings can be hard; but change IS hard. Why is this? In a nutshell, it is because we as humans are creatures of habit and behaviour is habitual; we learn to do things a certain way and if it works it becomes our go to behaviour.

Motivation to make change might be high for most that come in for counselling, but there is going to be mixed feelings about replacing old behaviours for new. You as the client will have to weigh out the benefits versus the risks of changing your behaviours, for example “If I learn to not accept bad behavior from others, they may get mad at me and they may leave me” can be a reason that people are worried about change. Change can be scary!

What is needed for change? The answer is how motivated are you? If you are looking up information about mental health topics and checking out potential counsellors, then you are either in what we call the contemplative or preparation stage of change. Contemplative is when you know there is a problem; you’re thinking about change but you’re not totally committed to a plan of action. Preparation is you are ready to commit to a plan of action. As a clinical counsellor it is my job to empower you to make the changes you want to see in your life. Through the sharing of your story, together we identify the areas that require change, we identify the skills and strengths you already have and use, and we build a plan that is right for you.

Why is it important to have a plan? It is important to develop goals and different strategies to meet those goals so that you do not become frustrated and quit. This is a process that requires constant evaluation and possible tweaking of strategies, that when done alone can be overwhelming. That is why it is important to have someone like me on your team; you are the expert of yourself, you know what you capable of and what works for you (yes, you really do!) and I share the knowledge I have, so that you can be successful in reaching your goals. Together we work on keeping you on track and motivated for change.