Virtual Therapy In Ontario, Canada In Person Therapy in Hamilton & London
Navigating through this busy, overwhelming world can feel like a lot to manage. When momentum starts building, oftentimes, so do our emotions. Many of us go through life reacting to things around us. We don’t always know what we are feeling, or why we are feeling this way. That can lead to feelings of confusion, frustration, emotional shut-downs, or feeling “stuck” in patterns we wish we could change but don’t know how.
Psychotherapy provides a safe, non-judgmental, and compassionate space for you to make sense of things. Therapy is a place to slow down, explore your inner world, and learn some tools and strategies to help strengthen your emotional regulation and self-awareness, which both have a positive influence on your well-being.
Emotional regulation is the ability to manage your emotions- not by suppressing or avoiding them (which is the only way many of us know), but by staying grounded despite the chaos that life can sometimes bring. We cannot control what happens in our lives, but we can recognize what we’re feeling, identify why we are feeling it, and control how we choose to respond, instead of living life on autopilot.
In therapy, you can:
For us to be able to regulate our emotions, we also need to be self-aware. When we have a limited understanding of how or why things impact us the way they do, why we continuously react the way we do, and why we are continuously faced with the same relationship issues, we often feel lost and unsure of how to make any positive changes, let alone what changes even need to be made. This is where self-awareness becomes invaluable for your growth.
Therapy provides you with the opportunity to increase your self-awareness by gaining a deeper understanding of yourself through deep exploration, such as your past relationships, inner thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, and your personal values. This new insight about yourself offers a personal guide or blueprint for where you’d like change to occur, and where your strengths are.
As we have discussed, you cannot develop the skills for emotional regulation without self-awareness. These skills go hand-in-hand. As you engage in self-exploration, your self-awareness increases. As you become more aware, you develop a deeper understanding of self- why you think, feel, and behave the way you do. These understandings allow you to learn tools to foster the ability to better regulate your emotions and, therefore live a more intentional and authentic life.
A final, yet incredibly important, note- it is not about when you have reached your therapeutic goals, it’s about the learning and self-discoveries you make along the way. You have probably heard this many times, but healing is not linear. Your best will look different every day, and some days will feel better than others. Fostering self-awareness and learning emotional regulation is not a simple or quick task, but more of a lifelong practice. But remember, you are not alone. Your therapist will be that trusted companion in the passenger’s seat to help you navigate your journey and support you every step of the way.
If you feel ready to start this personal journey, therapy will help you gain the knowledge and tools to get started. It’s never too late to begin working towards the life you desire and deserve.
If you are looking for psychotherapy in Hamilton to increase your self-awareness and learn how to better regulate your emotions, contact us today and we will connect you with one of our amazing therapists.