How do Psychologists Heal?

HOW HEALING HAPPENS IN MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS?

The last few months have given everyone a chance to self-introspect. People have not only started understanding the importance of their physical health but also their 'mental well-being'. And understandably so, with the pandemic spreading more and more, with every passing day people have started to become insecure about their Psycho-social health. 

Being a mental health professional myself, I know for a fact, that the concerns about proximal and distant future due to this growing spectrum of uncertainty has increased in manifolds. Being a professional I have had the opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life throughout this phase, guiding them and facilitating their mental and emotional well-being in all ways possible.

But it was until yesterday, when someone asked me out of curiosity that 'Mam how do you maintain your own sanity amidst all this chaos? How do you heal yourself at times like these? Times when you must be surrounded by people who are disturbed in ways more than one day in day out which at times might combine with your own stressors if any?' that I realized that truer words haven't been said. 

I couldn't have agreed more and reverted that 'I appreciate your concern, at least some one cares. We at times don't get a benefit of doubt like every other non-psychology professional. People don't allow us to be 'normal' (if there is any for that matter) because of their preconceptions attached to our ability to manage ourselves most of the times. Even worse being that we ourselves don't allow us to break down if need be. There are times when we are having our own share of lows but have to cater to other's needs before us (which at times are also similar to our own emotional needs). It get's very complicated at times when I am facilitating someone for their problems that are similar to my own. When I am suggesting someone that 'You're going to make it. It's going to be fine, You are going to pull through, it's just a phase' while on the inside I am undergoing the same emotion. And I am breaking down more than they are at that moment of time.

But I think that's how we heal. And that's how we process and that's how we maintain our own 'sanity' whatsoever. It's in this process of facilitating another individual for their needs that we cater to our own. It's in times like these where we realize that what we are suggesting, probably is EXACTLY what we needed to hear from the longest of times ourselves. And we drift back to being our own 'normal' selves. It's a beautiful dichotomy, this phase of healing, where we heal through another individual that we are healing ourselves. But I guess this is the only way to be, because, as mental health professionals, it's very important that we maintain our own sanity as it's only then that we can help someone restore theirs. Don't you agree?

But having said that, it's high time we as mental health professionals 'allow' ourselves to 'heal too' and speak up if we have concerns. It's imperative not only for those individuals we are healing but also for our 'own' self. It's  time EVERYONE realizes that we too are 'humans' before being 'professionals' and that we should be ALLOWED to have our SHARE'S of LOWS too. It's time that people stop attaching stigmas to how we 'SHOULD BE FEELING' rather than how we ARE FEELING. Because I guess there isn't any right way to be? Or is there?

Think about it. Because that's how healing happens.

Before the world ends.....

The world has come to a stand still with this pandemic. Each one of us quarantined for 'good'. But as the days are passing by, I see more and more people talking about things they never had the time to talk about in all these years. It amazes and surprises me at the same time that probably it didn't 'occur' to them earlier that these things were always important. I see people spending time with their family, with themselves, singing, reading their favorite books, following their art/music/dance/writing hobbies, rejoicing whatever connect with 'nature' they can have, playing indoor games, working out like crazy, re-connecting with friends and distant family, having deep conversations with near ones, tagging each other in bingo/memes/challenges, and video-conferencing over phone with every lost connection as evident from their social media handle posts. And all this while all that I have been wondering is 'Did it really take a pandemic to make us realize all these little things in life?' Why did we need 'isolation' to value each other more, to value our mother earth more, to enjoy hearing the calmness of the winds and chirping of the birds, to understand the importance of having routine 'conversations' with our loved one's, or following our favorite hobbies?

I sure understand, that in our normal routines we all come across a lot of 'first world problems' so to say, that inhibit us from following what we love. But I hope this time is a reminder of all that we've been missing out in life, in years bygone. I hope it makes us value the simple things in life, like introspecting, having a fun tea-time with your family, dancing to the tune of your favorite songs randomly, working out regularly, singing out loud while video-conferencing with school friends and finding time to listen to the calmness of the winds and endearing the light of the moon. I hope it doesn't require another pandemic for us to realize that nature has a way with the world and it's best to realize this sooner than 'later'. To also remember what all these days have gives us as a gift, "The reminisces of old times, forgotten memories, lost contacts, meaningful conversations" only to be able to continue with the same after all this ends. It would be amazing if all of us could take note of the things we 'got' than the 'things' we lost in this period of turmoil, only then, would we treat each other with 'more humanity, gratitude, and love' in times to come. So let's pledge that before the world ends, we'll find time to be more 'human'.

Because else, we'd be reminded that