Helping our patients to integrate their “feelings” and “thinking” in more helpful ways

Often in counseling, people can have a belief that counseling is to help them with their “feelings”.

A more accurate description perhaps, is that counseling is to help people with both “feelings” and “thinking”. It helps them to integrate their “feelings” and “thinking” in more helpful and productive ways.

To help them perceive “feelings” and “thinking” more accurately.

To use “thinking” to validate “feelings”, and to use “feelings” to validate “thinking”.

To process, integrate and use “feelings” and “thinking” in order to take action in more helpful ways.

I wonder if you know what I mean.