Get to the root
Have you ever wondered why you keep repeating the same behavior over and over? Or why you keep experiencing the same thoughts that plague you with no escape? You may also wonder why those thoughts keep plunging you into a place of shame, which lead to feeling depressed and or and anxious.
Our brains have an annoying way of holding onto experiences. Even if those experiences are long in the past they can impact us today.
So how and why do past experiences effect us.
There is a visual I use with my clients in therapy. We call it the tree of self-esteem. A tree has 3 main parts, the branches, trunk and roots.
You can think of…
1. The roots as experiences in life both positive and negative. 2. The trunk as beliefs and thoughts we have about ourselves, others and the people around us resulting from our experiences. 3. The branches as struggles and strengths we develop as a result of our experiences.
We may try to chop off the branches or the trunk of the tree, but unless we rip out the roots the tree will always grow back. When we pull the tree out by the roots a new tree can grow in it's place.
This process is not always easy and it can be helpful if done with a professional Please don’t hesitate to call a counselor to help and support you.
Remember for shame to loose it's power we must choose to ask ourselves Who told you that?
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