Guest Post: Swapping The Leather Couch For A Keyboard, Gchat Therapy
I have always held a negative perception of therapy. The word seemed to imply there was something that needed to be repaired. I always imagined someone lying on a cold leather couch talking through recent episodes of anger, sadness, depression.
I am beginning to change my perception.
Lauren & I have been friends for as long as I can recall. We’ve shared discussions over boys, clothes, food, dreams, love, and most recently for me, marriage. Growing up, I totally avoided the difficult conversations and emotionally draining reality that was surrounding me. I preferred the old adage, ignorance is bliss. As life has become more complicated, as I have grown and learned that ignorance only causes prolonged horror, I am also learning that I appreciate, even crave moments of very serious discussion and reflection on all the little moments that make up life; The food I consume, the steps I take (or lack of), the new family I’ve become a part of, a new marriage that is breathtaking and exciting, occasionally difficult and overwhelming.
Enter therapy.
With all the change in my life the past few years, there has been a constant; a lovely steady conversation with my BFF about all that makes up our lives, the good and the bad, thanks to a little thing called gchat. Thanks, Google, for creating an amazing tool for my therapy sessions. 🙂
There are many perks to undergoing therapy sessions with a friend. To hash things out with the help of a kind ear of person who has known you for so long (like 20+ years long), who knows the dark secrets you only share when you’re three sheets to wind, the things you would never breathe to a sole otherwise. A person who has seen you go from your skinniest to heaviest and can recall the emotional ups and downs that correspond with the trend on the scale, loves you regardless of your pant size, understands the struggle. There are benefits to sharing in deep, meaningful discussion with a dear friend, gaining insight that could not be drawn out if talking to a professional.
The gchat chit chat has me thinking maybe we don’t have to be broken to take a moment to step back, dig deep within ourselves and reflect on who we are, why we are the way we are. Maybe we could all use some therapy. Maybe we all could stand to sit down with a friend and really discuss things that matter for a change.
Maybe we all need therapy.