Finding our way in a sea of humanity....

It all started with an innocent group of women in a workshop trying to raise their self esteem and worth and the by product might have included a weight loss regime evolving....I was there to co-facilitate with art therapy, but it only took me two sessions to realize that not all counseling sessions are created equal and I had no opportunity to deliver the art directives either. . .

I would be remiss to say I did not learn anything from the facilitator. I learned a lot about meditation and using media within the therapeutic arena. But I also learned things I will not use in my practice - workbooks being the #1 culprit and from that reading round robin. As a former teacher, I am privvy to the fact that a lot of adults do not like reading aloud in front of others, especially when they haven't had a chance to practice.

I also learned that when exploring the inner child of an adult, much care needs to be taken as this is a fragile time in one's awareness. The music, the soft words, and the exploration of one's past does not lend itself to a quick release to the present. One must spend time in that corner of one's life and gently extricate oneself. If the therapist is not careful, some unresolved and very emotional moments can be relived. As the client goes home, who is there to help mop up the evidence? To assure her that she is well taken care of and loved? Our minds are powerful and can be our closest allies, but also our worst enemies.  Events, emotions, feelings, and knowledge can be embedded in the smallest caverns only to open up when we least expect it. An insighful counselor will be very careful when exploring that arena.

Our subconscious is sometimes very much in control of our body and mind. Coming home from the session I quickly forgot the uneasiness and tension of the evening. I prepared for bed and an old enemy confronted me: the tightness in my chest - the need to yawn to relieve it, and the realization that I was hyperventilating - something I had not done in years. And why? It was a combination of things and visiting my childhood must have activated some sense of fear. I didn't know what my role was in the session. I was afraid of the strong female lead to ask (and that's another topic another time for why grown adults can be afraid) exactly what she expected me to do. And being part of the group but not being part was too difficult for my brain to encompass. So I reverted to earlier feelings of stress that I had all but conquered as of late....

And so the moral of the story is that one should understand what is expected in a given situation. If you are unsure, you must write down what you think is  your role. Share that with the individual with whom you are working. This could be good advice in all your relationships - do you really understand what the other person expects from you? Or are you guessing? Clear and concise communication is what is required in any relationship - be it professional or personal. Are you co-facilitating and not really knowing where you are going? Yes, I am a counselor, but also a very emotional human being and I need to be reminded daily of being in control of those emotions and feelings. And I must realize I am truly in control.

For your meditation edification, try the following....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh-klfBJlHc