Taking Steps to Achieve Mental Health-Part 2-Incorporating Insight

“What we learn to do, we learn by doing.”

-          Aristotle

In the last chapter, we explored ways to gain insight into our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.  Once we have gained insight it is then necessary to incorporate it into our lives.  This may require us to step outside of our comfort zone and to ‘try on’ new ways of being in situations.  This might feel awkward at first, but we can tell ourselves that the feeling is only temporary and will lessen as we gain more experience.

Here are some ways to incorporate insight into our lives:

Keep a log- We can write down any insights we have gained, date them, and then make personal time to meditate on them. 

Accept opportunities- We need to be open to any opportunities which allow us to try out a new behavior or to confront our issues, even if this stirs feelings of anxiety, frustration, or other discomfort.

Act ‘as if’- Sometimes, we can wait until we feel completely comfortable and confident to make a change in our life, other times, it is necessary to simply act ‘as if’ we are comfortable with a new behavior or way of being.  The idea behind this is to act out the behavior so that eventually the feeling will follow.  As we repeat the behavior over and over, it becomes a more natural part of our interactions.

Reflect on experiences- We need to bring our new experiences and/or behaviors into therapy sessions and reflect on them. The therapist can help to highlight instances where we demonstrated a healthier attitude, made a good decision for ourselves, or interacted in a more effective way.  The session also gives us the opportunity to process how we felt and what thoughts we may have had before, during, and after our experiences. This can lead to further insight. 

As we progress in our mental health treatment, we may experience a ‘flow’ in which we gain insight, change a behavior/situation, gain further insight, act on that awareness, gain further insight, etc.

May we all discover the courage within to begin our journey toward mental health and bring fulfillment into our lives and relationships. 

Feel free to share your own insights by posting a comment below.

 

 

 

Taking Steps to Achieve Mental Health- Part 1- Gaining Insight

 "He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.”

-          Lao Tzu

We may begin mental health treatment having already identified a specific problem we want to address or looking for professional help in order to define an issue causing us distress.   Either way, once the issue is identified, the next step for all of us is to understand how we got to the place we are at.  If we do not have insight, we will most probably repeat the same behaviors, make the same choices, and stay ‘stuck’ in our lives. 

Here are some ways to achieve insight from the therapy process:

READ - We can obtain material related to the specific problem/issue, take notes, highlight relevant passages, and discuss this information in the therapy session.  We can search the internet.  There is bound to be an article, blog, or website that is helpful.  If non-fiction material does not appeal to us, we can search for biographical or autobiographical accounts that bring an issue up close and personal.  If we have difficulty concentrating, we can listen to a book on cd.

OBSERVE – We can watch films, plays, or television programs that address a specific issue and allow ourselves to react emotionally to what is happening.  It is important to release any feelings that are stirred either during or after the viewing. 

WRITE – We can keep a journal on the computer or in a notebook of any experiences, thoughts, feelings, and questions that arise in between therapy sessions, then bring the journal to sessions.  It might be helpful to make a notation in the margin for those parts that we wish to explore with our therapist.

SPEAK – We can talk about the past in therapy sessions and utilize those experiences as tools for personal growth.  Very often, patterns develop in our lives and we tend to react in the same way over and over, expecting a different outcome.  It is important to become aware of these patterns and to understand how/when they began.

Gaining insight into our inner selves can be emotionally challenging in the short-term, but there are long-term benefits- achieving honest and fulfilling relationships.

In the next chapter, we will explore ways to incorporate insight into our lives.

                                                                             

Taking Steps to Achieve Mental Health- Introduction

Whether we are seasoned mental health clients or entering treatment for the first time, it can be helpful to explore specific elements of the therapy process.  While our lives seem to be hurtling out of control, therapy sessions can bring us clarity, emotional balance, and reconnection with our personal and professional goals.  In order to achieve this, it is necessary to take an active role in our own treatment, outside the allotted session time as well as within the therapist’s office.

 In the next few weeks we will explore two important steps within the therapy process:

• Gaining insight

• Incorporating insight into our lives

In the next chapter, we will look at specific ways in which we can increase our ability to gain insight into our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.