Foundational Truths 

• One of the most powerful, profound questions was asked by Jesus of Nazareth, “What do you want?” Behind the desire for relief from suffering, we all have a core desire for something greater: to live an empowered life, to belong, to love and be loved, to be significant.

• The relationship between you and your counselor is foundational to healthy outcomes which is why safe therapeutic space is essential.

• You enter into the therapeutic process with resources that contribute to healthy change.

• Change is more likely to happen when you risk vulnerability and explore deepening layers of self.

• You are an expert on your experience.

• Emotion is a rich source of meaning: it gives compelling feedback as to how your environment is affecting you. It may regulate or dysregulate your responses. Emotion organizes our behavior.

• Emotions serve as a force to move and act. Emotions help you connect, bond, protect, defend, withdraw, attack and blame.

• Emotions impact behavior, and they contribute to the process of meaning-making both externally within relationships and internally regarding one’s self.

• Awareness alone is not enough to create change. The process cannot stop at awareness but must move to new experiences which generate healthy corrective emotional experiences and healthy meaning making.

• Across the life-span, people need a secure base from which to explore life experiences and process emotions, accomplishments and needs.