Self-awareness & Personal Development
Socrates stated that the "unexamined life was not worth living" To examine one's life is to look at, observe and scrutinize what goes on both outwardly & inwardly. What today is often called self-awareness.
Self-awareness involves the ability to look at and discern inner thoughts, feelings and beliefs. One could also say that self-awareness is being psychologically minded - being able to go below the surface of mere external happenings. Self-awareness involves the person entering the depths of the unconscious to look at underlying beliefs and motives that determine their outer behaviour. One consciously and purposely asks, "What is really going on here?"
It takes courage to engage in self-awareness and it also brings huge rewards. As the result of our new awareness, our personal development is facilitated. It helps us to understand more about what makes us 'tick'. This in turn will help us to identify what changes we want or need to make, so that we can make informed choices and get a better result for ourselves.
Relationships
We are all familiar with the expression "no man is an Island". We are relational beings and we need 'other' to survive. As adults our first relationship needs to be with ourselves and if our relationship with ourselves is flawed our relationship with others will be equally flawed or problematic.
We all have the following basic human needs:
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To feel love & belonging
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To have power
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The need for freedom/independence
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Fun & enjoyment
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Survival (food, water & shelter)
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These needs drive all human behaviour. When we are able to meet these needs in ourselves, we have a better chance of understanding the needs of others. This will assist greatly in the development of healthy relationships with others, one where we are not just surviving, but thriving. Counselling & Psychotherapy offers an opportunity to explore the conflicts that may be stopping us from developing meaningful relationships. Respect, responsibility, good communication skills & knowing our boundaries are all elements of a good relationship.
Anger Management
Anger is an emotion that tends to be easy to see. However, anger is often just the tip of the iceberg. Other emotions may be hidden beneath the surface. In some families, anger is seen as more acceptable than other emotions. A person might express anger in order to mask emotions that cause them to feel vulnerable, such as hurt and pain.
Anger "triggers" can be, people, places, situations, and things that set off anger. Your triggers can provide clues about the emotions behind your anger. As a therapist, I can help you identify what might be driving your anger and help you to address the underlying hurt. Sometimes, however, anger is just anger.