There is an invasive weed in the neighbor’s yard, and I wanted to say something about it. I even thought of going over there and offering to help pull the weeds but was reminded that it was not for me to pull the weeds in the neighbor’s yard. I will let them continue to work on their yard while I tend to the overgrowth in my own.
How does this relate to therapy? 
Sometimes we see behaviors in others that may seem out of control or are undesirable like a weed. It can be hard seeing someone we care about struggling and not being able to fix it. You might be tempted to suggest ways to amend their behaviors just as I wanted to do with my neighbor’s yard.
But moving towards change or amending behaviors is an individual process. It requires work and doing the work for someone else is not always possible. You can support and encourage them, and you can always try to set an example in how you do your own work moving towards change or amending behaviors.
If you or someone you know would like mental health support, please contact us to book an appointment.
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About Jackie:
Jackie is a Resident in Counseling providing counseling services in our Alexandria location. Jackie earned an M.S.Ed. from Old Dominion University in Mental Health Counseling and has training in art therapy. In addition to her counseling background, Jackie also has a degree in the arts with an MA in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Jackie is a humanistic counselor who provides person-centered counseling in both English and Spanish. To learn more about Jackie, visit HERE.
