A Healthy Self
Hello! Welcome to my very first blog! My name is Trinity Dempsey, and I am an LMFT-A. I am so blessed, honored, and excited to begin practicing at HealingChoice Family Therapy. I am currently accepting new clients, and I can’t wait to meet you!
To introcuce myself, I’d like to tell you what it means to have a healthy concept of self.
In order to be the best version of yourself, developing a healthy balance between all the dimensions of your different “selves” is important. (According to one of the greatest therapists of all time, Virginia Satir, you have 8 different dimensions of self.)
Your Contextual Self
We always exist within a context. According to Stuart Piddocke, your context includes elements like “light, color, sound,…[and] temperature,” (2010). etc. Think of your five senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing). Basically, your context is your surroundings. This context has a big impact on you.
Have you ever been in a noisy, crowded public place and felt your anxiety begin to rise? Maybe think “Black Friday Shopping”? People getting too close, invading your space, and it starts to get worse. Your jaw clenches. The muscles in your neck tense and strain. At the end of a long, hard day like this, do you ever just want to sit in the dark? Find a quiet place to exhale the tensions of the day? Maybe draw a bubble bath? Put on some soothing music?
Because we are all so unique, comfortable contexts and uncomfortable contexts look different from person to person. Some people see red as harsh while others see it as warm and inviting. Take a moment to think about your comfortable context. What does it look like? Is it surrounded by nature? What colors do you see? Now, how about your uncomfortable context? What sounds do you hear? Are there smells that are overwhelming?
Why should I spend time exploring the different aspects of my self?
You might be wondering, “Why should I spend time exploring the different aspects of myself?” Because in doing so, you can better understand yourself and even increase your self-worth; your self-worth “functions as a sort of map (or even a pilot) guiding [you] on the seas of life” (Piddocke, 2010).
Recently, I’ve been working on my own context. I’ll be spending a lot more time in office soon, so I wanted the atmosphere to be warm and inviting. To me, purple lends to a sense of calmness. I also included this great wall-hanging in the shape of a tree. It symbolizes growth and represents life. Lastly, I found a quote that reminds me that I always have another chance to start over again; “365 New Days, 365 New Chances”! Tell me about your context!