People often come to therapy for good answers to troubling questions about life.
This book, which was recommended by my good friend and fellow therapist Megan …
… is giving some good answers to the question of how to deal with painful feelings in ourselves and others. Here’s what I’m reading this morning:
Though all emotional healing requires it, listening to pain is difficult — and the greater the pain, the more difficult it is to listen to. The dark emotions are uncomfortable; they are also contagious. Their energies flow through and between and among us without regard for the boundaries we erect to keep ourselves separate. If we are unable to tolerate some discomfort, it’s hard to listen to dark feelings in ourselves or others. Our best, most compassionate intentions are thwarted, our connections marred by the shadow of intolerable emotions. We become inured to the incessant cacophony of the world’s suffering, limited in our authenticity and responsiveness. And we suffer from not knowing the darker side of ourselves.
Greenspan, 2004, p. 15
Often a good answer to the unrelenting grief, fear, and despair in the world is to take a break from all that. Those breaks can be moments of deep breathing or getting away for a vacation. A good answer for me, here and now, is taking two weeks off from work, starting this Saturday, and flying to Portland, Oregon to visit my college roommate Maria.
Do you see good answers in any of my other images for today?
The Daily Bitch often has good answers, don’t you think?
Here’s my good answer to my own question of what music you would like to share with others:
I look forward to people’s good answers in the comments section, below.
Gratitude is a good answer for everything, so thanks to all who visit my daily blog, including YOU.
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 
I so appreciate you sharing the answers you find, Ann.
I so appreciate sharing with you, Mark.
How wonderful that you are going to the west coast! I hope you have a wonderful time in Portland. We used to enjoy going down there by train and hope to do it again when the train resumes to Vancouver. (Amtrak restarted its cross border service last November but it is still just a bus link.) Powell’s book!!
Thank you for sharing that excerpt. I am going to go back and read it again.
Thank you for another wonderful comment, Maureen.
glad for your good vibe getaway. the kids in my class are 3 and 4 years old, with a few 5s tossed in. every day they point out how they are feeling on our chart that shows faces with feelings. they cannot even read yet, but are spot on with the feelings they choose and can explain why. we then talk about how to deal with the feelings if they are uncomfortable and they are amazing with their answers for each other. I have my own group therapy each day!
You are doing so much good in the world, beth!
I often feel like I fail at offering good answers, but a getaway to spend time with old friends seems like a good answer no matter what the question is.
I wish you realized what a success you are at offering great answers, Chris.
The answers you find never fail to engage, Ann! And I am so happy you are stealing away for a visit with a dear friend. The perfect salve to a weary heart…enjoy! Xx
Your comments are a perfect salve to a weary heart, Lori! 💕
Have a great trip Ann! And for music, there’s so many, but have you ever listened to Nanci Griffith? She was an amazing song writer!
Good answer, Rachel!