In our American culture, we have a disdain for “crazy people.” Most of us share a belief that anyone who goes to a counselor or a therapist must be broken somehow. This stigma is built on the cultural expectation that we must all be happy, at least whenever we’re in public. Imagine if you greet someone at the supermarket, “Hello! How are you?” and they answer with, “Terrible. I’m depressed today.” Would you be caught off-guard by their response? We tend to carry the expectation that people will answer with, “Well,” “Great!” or “Fine.” regardless of whether that’s the truth. We’re taught from a young age that if we’re not happy, then we better hide it and pretend to be fine for fear of being “crazy.”
The reality is that everybody experiences disappointment, frustration, unfortunate circumstances, changes to relationships, life, death, and transition. Any major event in our life span, such as marriage, divorce, childbirth, graduation, new career, retirement, etc create stress in our lives. Combine that with the daily stress of parenting, meeting or maintaining our personal goals, deadlines and pressure at work, busy social and extracurricular schedules and you have a formula for a huge amount of stress. The same cultural beliefs that teach us it is wrong to be “crazy” fail to teach us how to manage our stress.
A psychologist named Maslow once devised a theory of human motivation that explains how humans develop emotionally. In his theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggests that some needs are more fundamental than others and it’s often depicted in a pyramid with the most fundamental needs (physiological) at the bottom and the most advanced (self-actualization) at the top. Maslow’s theory is that once a level of needs is met, then a person is able to move on to attempt to meet the next level of needs. For example, if someone is battling a physical ailment or experiencing a lack of resources such as food or water, then that person won’t have the motivation to improve other areas of their life such as friendships, sexual intimacy, self-esteem, or creativity.
Being emotionally well is similar to reaching the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. When a person is able to self-actualize, they are able to not only live but thrive, reaching their full potential and living authentically true to themselves. If we’re hiding or denying the not-so-pretty emotions that are a natural experience of life, how can we hope to live authentically true to ourselves, reaching our highest potential?
A warm, friendly, and competent counselor provides a safe space and insightful guidance for processing the full range of emotions people experience. Counseling helps you meet your needs and advance up the pyramid to self-actualization where you manifest your greatest potential.
The reality is that everybody experiences disappointment, frustration, unfortunate circumstances, changes to relationships, life, death, and transition. Any major event in our life span, such as marriage, divorce, childbirth, graduation, new career, retirement, etc create stress in our lives. Combine that with the daily stress of parenting, meeting or maintaining our personal goals, deadlines and pressure at work, busy social and extracurricular schedules and you have a formula for a huge amount of stress. The same cultural beliefs that teach us it is wrong to be “crazy” fail to teach us how to manage our stress.
A psychologist named Maslow once devised a theory of human motivation that explains how humans develop emotionally. In his theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggests that some needs are more fundamental than others and it’s often depicted in a pyramid with the most fundamental needs (physiological) at the bottom and the most advanced (self-actualization) at the top. Maslow’s theory is that once a level of needs is met, then a person is able to move on to attempt to meet the next level of needs. For example, if someone is battling a physical ailment or experiencing a lack of resources such as food or water, then that person won’t have the motivation to improve other areas of their life such as friendships, sexual intimacy, self-esteem, or creativity.
Being emotionally well is similar to reaching the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. When a person is able to self-actualize, they are able to not only live but thrive, reaching their full potential and living authentically true to themselves. If we’re hiding or denying the not-so-pretty emotions that are a natural experience of life, how can we hope to live authentically true to ourselves, reaching our highest potential?
A warm, friendly, and competent counselor provides a safe space and insightful guidance for processing the full range of emotions people experience. Counseling helps you meet your needs and advance up the pyramid to self-actualization where you manifest your greatest potential.
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