Winding Down 2021...
This past year, in the counselling setting, there has often been feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and feelings of being "hung out to dry." In other words, the unpredictable nature of life in a COVID-19 pandemic means abandoning old familiar ways. This has caused emotional exhaustion, frustration, anger, even a sense of danger for many among us. With COVID rates on the upward trend, it also feels like we are recycling through 2020. Déjà Vu.
Coping with Uncertainty
Below are two approaches I use frequently in the counselling setting.
The first is 'Medicine Wheel teachings', which draw from an Indigenous worldview, a (w)holistic way of seeing health and well-being.
The second is journal writing, used as a tool for expressing feelings, using voice, and letting go of thoughts and feelings that take up a lot of space in our hearts and heads (but may no longer be desired). Writing then, is part of the healing process.
Medicine Wheel Teachings are traditional Indigenous teachings based on the belief that all things are connected. Land, water, air, as well as animals, humans, and plants. In the same way, in the human experience, heart, mind, body, and spirit are connected. 'Medicine' refers to wellness and things/objects/beliefs/practices (e.g., nutritious foods, walking in nature, meditation) and 'Wheel' refers to the interconnectedness and motion of all things. What we experience in one area has a ripple effect in other areas. For example, when we wake up feeling sad, this impacts our thoughts, spirit, and body. Over time, if we continue on this path we can slip into a depression.
To begin the counselling session, I facilitate a check in around each of the four areas:
How is your body doing today? What does your body need? What physical strengths do you draw from? Next, there is check in with the other three areas: Spirit, mind, heart (feelings).
*For more information, please reach out as I offer group workshops on the Medicine Wheel teachings, which have applications for personal, relationships, and community healing.
"If you do not breathe through writing,
if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing,
then don't write, because our culture has no use for it." ~ Anaïs Nin
I love the quote above, although the context seems to be to the wider, public realm of the writing community. Yet, journal writing that is private, for personal healing, processing, reflection, and making-sense is also a significant tool for well-being. Writing is a way to breathe through the pain, the tears, and other unresolved/unexplored feelings. Words on the page give voice to stories. Some stories we may not want to share (or ever want to). Nonetheless, it is difficult to heal from painful experiences until we share (externalize) our stories outside our bodies. Releasing the stories, retelling memories and details in the current light, brings new perspective. Without this, our lens for the future is coloured by untold stories. Healing becomes 'stuck'.
To begin the journal writing process, or even life writing, review the above Medicine Wheel prompts. What is your 'Mind, Body, Spirit, Heart' telling you today? What do each of these need and what strengths do you draw from in each of these areas?
Breathe, cry, sing (use voice), find release, and glimmers of light in this process.
References
Images:
1. Graham McAndrew, www.picfair.com
2. Medicine Wheel, www.alamny.com
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