Recently my family and I were walking to a local parade in Provo Utah. This parade was unique because children were invited to wear patriotic clothes and participate in the parade. My wife went ahead with my two older children while I walked alongside my three-year old son and his scooter. My older children were excited about the idea of participating in a parade and raced ahead. Meanwhile, my three-year old scooted along and admired his surroundings. He stopped and talked to a boy in our neighborhood and then he stopped and peered at the weeds coming up through the concrete sidewalk. Next, he talked to a dog that was outside and told me all about the dog’s name and what it was doing. He seemed to be noticing everything! As I looked ahead, I saw that our window to join the parade was quickly closing.
Yet, I realized that my focus on getting to the parade was not what my son’s focus was. I decided to stop and see the world as my three-year old sees it: through eyes of curiosity, friendliness, and novelty. It was in this moment that I realized that our walk was less about destination—walking in the parade—and more about the process of being together, as well as observing and admiring our surroundings. In time, we made it to the parade and we also had stories to share about our pit stops with the rest of our family when we arrived. We enjoyed the popsicles at the end too!
In comparison, a similar process generally occurs in in-person therapy in Provo Utah. While I work with you to progress on your goals, I also take time to pause and explore trends or patterns that come up in the stories you share. I help you in becoming aware of the things that may be in your surroundings that you have not yet noticed, talked about, or celebrated. These insights can then inform your efforts to make progress on your goals in in-person therapy in Provo Utah.
I have learned in my experience providing therapy that it is in the little things we notice and do that creates change. With time and consistency, and hope, change can occur and you can accomplish your goals. Come and work with an EMDR therapist today.
