New Beginnings
Understanding and managing anxiety at the start of something new.
Recently, I started training with the EMDR Academy (www.emdraccademy.co.uk) to undertake intensive accredited training to become an EMDR therapist (www.emdrassociation.org.uk). Although enthusiastic to add a new skill set to what I can offer to support my clients, I recognised that I felt low-level anxiety at this new beginning; I was excited but also acknowledge that I felt some trepidation about starting something new.
It made me reflect that many clients may feel similar levels of anxiety when coming to therapy. I often ask clients how they feel about coming to their first session, and although the answers may vary, invariably they are experiencing some nervousness. Acknowledging and normalising the anxiety in the therapy room is an important first step in building a supportive, safe environment for the therapeutic relationship to thrive.
The theme of anxiety at the start of something new can be exactly the reason that a client is coming to therapy. New beginnings can be in something that’s planned for such as a change in jobs, roles or geographical location. Changes can also be unplanned such as beginning a new life without a beloved family member, after divorce, redundancy or facing a life with illness. Whether planned or unplanned, clients can use the therapeutic space to explore the challenges faced and feel more prepared for the future.
Some of the themes raised include:
fear of the unknown
feeling alone
managing unrealistic expectations (from ourselves and others) about the future
accepting and adapting to the change
fresh triggers for known issues e.g. need to be perfect, in control or experiencing imposter syndrome
heightened emotions experienced be it anger or sadness if the changes are forced on us, or fear if we feel overwhelmed
negative self-talk, including catastrophising, fortune-telling, overthinking, procrastinating
Counselling during this time can offer a framework to navigate the new beginning. In therapy, we begin to fully understand the story behind the emotions experienced and together we can create tailored coping strategies that mean moving forward with more confidence, whilst feeling truly supported.
Do get in touch if you would like help with your new beginning.
For more information on EMDR, do go to the links on my page. For a limited time only, as an EMDR Therapist-in-Training, I am looking for volunteers to be part of my training journey, so do use my contact form on the homepage to get in touch if you think you might be interested.