Have you ever heard someone say:
“life is like a box of chocolates” or “life is like a roller coaster”?
Let’s explore these metaphors in more detail.
“life is like a box of chocolates”
I first heard this from the movie Forest Gump. The whole saying goes “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know which ones you are going to get.” Life is unpredictable. There are limitless possibilities and challenges. Are you going to respond by being predictable, a planner, taking control? Or is your natural response to embrace chaos, make no plans, be spontaneous? In a counselling session, we could explore your natural inclinations and how this behaviour either helps or hinders you in the mix of chocolates of life. Or maybe you aren’t too fussed on how you handled things in the past, but you are wanting to move forward and set yourself up for living your best life. Counselling can help you build skills in resilience, adaptability and psychological flexibility which increases your ability to handle the variety of chocolates that come your way.
“life is like a rollercoaster”
There are ups, there are downs, there are scary bits, there are slow parts. The rollercoaster is constantly moving but not always forwards. Life can be like that too. There can be happy moments, sad times, times where fear rules and seasons where it feels like time has stopped. Every stage requires something from you and at every stage the rollercoaster can get stuck. Here is where counselling can be useful. As a counsellor, my approach is that you are the expert in your life, I can ride beside you and point out the view from a different perspective. I have a lot of tools of the trade in my toolkit that I can bring out to help you at every stage of the ride. You don’t have to stay stuck. You don’t have to feel alone in the ride. Personally, rollercoasters are not my favourite types of rides, so I am already empathetic to the idea that your rollercoaster experience is a little traumatic and needs some TLC. Coming to counselling doesn’t require a diagnosis, it is open to everyone on the roller coaster experiencing life at different stages, paces and with different views.
Some lows of life could be due to missing out on the promotion, having a flare up of a chronic illness, its exam time, you’re in a relationship break up or being in a season of change and transition. Some highs could be the birth of your grandchild, the first day at your dream job, becoming cancer free or paying off your mortgage. Research has shown how people respond to the highs and lows in life influences their overall wellbeing. Investing in your wellbeing is important because it affects your relationships and physical and mental health. Investing in a block of counselling could increase your capacity of being open to experiences, being curious of the world around you and feeling your emotions rather than suppressing them. Therefore improving wellbeing and ultimately creating a psychologically rich life.
It’s normal to experience highs and lows in life. But if you get stuck in the deep, dark low points and can’t seem to find your way out, that’s when seeing a counsellor can help. Sometimes we can get stuck in our problems and they start to overwhelm and consume our whole being. Having an objective person who is actively listening, empathetic and 100% on your side, can help you find your way back to the light. Counselling doesn’t need to be a lifelong commitment (although, I plan to be here for a while). It is amazing what you can achieve in a short block of therapy. If you are in a low point of your life, we could use ACT or CBT or DBT to get you back on track to achieving your goals. (I promise those acronyms stand for types of therapy rather than being random letters of the alphabet). If you need some help to enjoy the roller-coaster ride, or develop your palate for a variety of chocolates, my counselling room welcomes you.
To make an appointment with Cassia, you can Book Online. Alternatively, you can call Vision Psychology Brisbane on (07) 3088 5422.
References
Coffey, J., Fosco, G., Howell, K. H., & Kracke, K. (2016). Seven reasons to invest in well-being. ResearchGate. 6(1). 8-14. Doi: 10.1037/vio0000019
Montag, B. (2020). Forrest Gump- “life is like a box of chocolates”. ACMI. https://www.acmi.net.au/stories-and-ideas/forrest-gump-like/
Oishi, S. & Westgate, E. C. (2021). A psychologically rich life: beyond happiness and meaning. Psychological Review. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/rev0000317
차승은. (2023). The highs and the lows of life: the moderating role of need for cognitive closure on affective well-being [Doctoral dissertation, 서울대학교 대학원]. Creative Commons. https://s-space.snu.ac.kr/bitstream/10371/193940/1/000000174133.pdf