Stranger Than Most

When people first come to see me, they’re usually VERY upset. Part of this is because they’ve already waited weeks, months, or even years before they finally made the call (during which time things definitely didn’t get any better). So they’re extremely anxious. Many report they didn’t sleep a wink the night before. (Jeeze! I know that I’m a PROFESSIONAL counselor and all, but mostly I’m just an old lady. I wish I inspired that much respect in my kids.) I’m not sure what people expect their first session, but I usually start with my standard dog and pony show. I listen as they tell me about their lives. I try to identify patterns, strengths, weaknesses. I educate them on the current theories about mental disorders and go over possible treatments. But mostly, the BIG question is “What do YOU want your life to look like?” That’s because it’s different for everyone. Or at least it should be. Many people are unhappy merely because they don’t think they’ve become the people they SHOULD be. And they’ve usually got a lot of other people TELLING them just that, so they feel guilty and hopeless. Those other people have also repeatedly called them “crazy”, maybe adding in “bipolar” or “borderline” just to sound smart.

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