Opening The Backpack - A Reflection on the Therapeutic Process
BY FRANCESCO KMENT, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and Training Therapist
What is it like to begin psychotherapy?
Imagine yourself carrying a very heavy backpack. This backpack may be filled with a variety of negative thoughts that weigh us down, and prevent us from reaching our greatest potential. The longer we carry the backpack, and the more we accumulate, the heavier it becomes.
The therapeutic process provides us with an opportunity to put down our backpack and begin to unpack what is inside–helping us to increase our awareness of everything we are carrying, and hopefully allowing us to lighten the load for our body and mind. This process will highlight the connection between the weight of the backpack and our thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and physical sensations.
What do people realize moving through the therapeutic process?
When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? Modern western society typically emphasizes a fast-paced lifestyle - something that often contributes to a lack of awareness with regard to both the body and the mind. Although we may not realize it, the body affects the mind just as much as the mind affects the body. This bidirectional relationship moulds our consciousness, influencing what we feed our body and mind.
For example, individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma often have body aches when experiencing lower-level moods and feelings. Throughout the therapeutic process, we can become more aware of the way in which stressful situations impact our thoughts and feelings, and ensure that we are taking the steps needed to support ourselves.
What can we pack into our backpack?
At first, it may be difficult for us to unpack the backpack, but there are still tools and supports we can use to make our journey lighter. One of the tools we can use to increase our well-being is the self-check technique. When feeling frustrated, sad, anxious, or stressed – reflect on whether you have been kind to yourself. This form of self-compassion can be done by checking whether we have eaten a healthy meal recently, slept for seven hours, drank enough water throughout the day, spent time in the sun, and/or exercised. We should also take notice of whether we are nurturing the relationships we hold close to us. Psychotherapy provides the opportunity to learn new coping skills that fit our personal characteristics, needs, wants, desires, and beliefs.
“Every life experience, no matter how ‘tragic’, contains a hidden lesson. When we discover the hidden gift that is there, a healing takes place.”
– David Hawkins, M.D.
Francesco Kment is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) completing his Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. As a Training Therapist, Francesco receives regular supervision from a Registered Psychotherapist to ensure he is providing the best possible care to his clients. With extensive experience volunteering, researching, and training within vulnerable communities, Francesco offers a compassionate approach that helps others become their greatest selves. He is currently accepting clients for both in-person and online psychotherapy.