New Beginnings

When I think of starting anything new, I obviously look at where to begin. Since this is a new venture for me, I need a beginning. I thought I would let you know first of all the “why” and “what” of this blog and the “where” it is headed as to goals and purpose.

The “Why” of this blog is a combination of my own personal journey into emotional healing and wellness and my professional journey as a therapist in working with emotional healing and healthy living. This is the foundation for each blog that I will post. I have personal experience with a lot of the issues I will write about as well as professional expertise as a licensed counselor helping others achieve their own personal growth goals.

In the past, I have led groups that support people going through rough patches or dealing with tough issues in their life. I do not have the time right now to lead any groups due to my large case load of clients. For this reason, I decided to post a daily blog to help fill the void that group dynamics often satisfy. It is well known in the world of good mental health that group involvement can be healing and nurturing like no other forum. It is my hope and dream that this blog can help support and engage participants in a similar way.

It is important for my readers to know that I do have a strong spiritual center as well and I believe that it is important to listen to that inner leading to follow the things that God has put on my heart to do. That is part of the “why” of this blog as well. If you have ever been involved in a 12 Step Recovery program, you know that the 12th step is the one where you pass on the message to others that you have received from your own spiritual awakening. I know I was asleep to many of the issues and behaviors that I will post so I hope that others will wake up or be enlightened through these daily posts.

The “what” of this blog is a bit broad and not even totally clear to me as I begin to create. I only know that it will be a combination of topics that are currently important to you, the participant. I will be using topics that come up to most people who come to counseling such as addictive behaviors, anxiety, depression, traumatic experiences and how to move through them, grief and loss, how to deal with problematic and controlling relationships, life stressors, and a host of other subjects that all of us as humans need to grapple with and face as we move through the seasons of our lives. I am interested in your postings and feedbacks so that I can hear what your needs are. That is how I will decide what to consider in addition to the areas I am already planning on addressing.

I also have a book that I am working on called “Free to Be Me” that will be a part of future blogs. Please look for inclusions from that because they are also part of the foundation I am using for the daily posts. “Free to Be Me” is about leaving codependent behaviors behind and moving on into the person you are meant to be without being under the influence of others to decide that for you. It is really good and very liberating and I am excited to present some of the chapters to you on this blog.

The “where” this is headed really is about my purpose and goals along with what you need and what you post interactively. I am usually pretty good at sensing others’ needs and following up on those. Please reply to postings whenever you feel prompted to do so. I can assure you that if you have a response, comment, or message of your own, it will help someone else. That is the main purpose. This blog is not about me as much as it is about you and I mean that collectively as well as individually.

On this first post, I am hoping that you will be excited with me to take the blog journey to find good therapy and what others are thinking and feeling and that this will engage you. I am also hoping it will encourage and uplift you like a daily dose of sunshine. Obviously, some topics will be hard, but that is how we grow. We face and confront difficult areas of ourselves and our relationships and gain amazing nuggets of how to respond to these in healthy ways. We learn new techniques and strategies to overcome and stay peaceful in the midst of the worst of circumstances.

I have seen so much in my personal journey and in the journeys of my clients that is good come out of horrible situations. This is what motivates me to stir up enthusiasm in you that you can find hope and encouragement instead of despair no matter what has or is happening to you. Good therapy and wise counsel does that. It is infectious and can put you in touch with tools and strategies to enjoy your life and experience the freedom to be you and pursue the dreams and desires of your heart.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” I believe that is true, but I would add that the future is also about the reality of your dreams. If you have dreams and desires, they can turn into reality. It has happened to me.

I love that I am starting this in a New Year, 2009. New Years is usually a time that people use to set goals and maybe do things differently in order to become a better person. This blog is all about that. I am hoping to help you get out of old ways. Remember, it has been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Hopefully, you will learn some new things, some new ways of behaving, and some new choices that will put you on great new paths and out of old ruts.

I also expect that I will learn new things from you. That is the great part of sharing in a format like this. I am full of optimism for this new relationship with you. It may not seem intimate because it is “just a blog” in cyberspace, but I have a feeling that we might develop amazing interpersonal connections. I do a lot of phone counseling with people I have never met and we discover a relationship that is just as close as if they came to a physical office for counseling sessions. I think it will be similar with this blog.

Join me each day as we attempt to accomplish a Blogging Relationship.

Blessings,
Susan