处理过往经历与创伤

Good morning, Sarah. Thanks for coming in. We left off last time discussing some of the anxieties you've been feeling, and I wondered if you've had any thoughts about how some of your past experiences might be contributing to them?

Good morning. Actually, I have. I've been thinking a lot about my childhood, particularly a time when my parents went through a really difficult period. I felt… very alone, like I had to be strong for everyone.

That sounds incredibly challenging for a child to experience. Can you tell me more about what 'being strong' meant to you then, and how that feeling manifests today?

It meant keeping my emotions to myself, not bothering them with my own problems. Now, I find myself doing the same thing at work. I take on too much, I don't ask for help, and I feel overwhelmed but can't express it.

It seems like that coping mechanism, which served you in childhood, might now be creating a bottleneck for you professionally and emotionally. It's a classic example of how early experiences can shape our current patterns.

Bottleneck is a good word for it. It just feels so ingrained. I keep telling myself I should be able to handle everything.

That's a very common belief, especially for those who've developed such strong self-reliance. Our goal here isn't to erase the past, but to understand its influence and then develop new, healthier ways of responding. Does that resonate with you?

Yes, it does. It makes a lot of sense. So, where do we go from here?