Have you ever wondered why you can’t get over a certain feeling of dread, anxiety, fear, loneliness, worthlessness? We all deal with a certain amount of feelings regarding our value in the world, but some people find it to be particularly difficult to deal with these feelings and combat them with more healthy ones. Why?
Our Atlanta counselors like to teach our clients about belief systems. We begin developing beliefs about the world and about ourselves at a very young age. Since we are young, our brains are still developing, and sometimes we cannot make sense of the information we take in. When a trauma, small or big, occurs, it can really impact our sense of value, self-worth, and safety in the world.
Think about it for a second. Picture that one thing you really want fixed in your own heart or mind. What is it that you’ve never been willing to face, or you don’t tell anyone about? Now think about the negative belief about yourself. Now go deeper and ask again.
Negative belief systems are powerful, but often irrational. Our Atlanta counselors meet many successful, loving, intelligent, amazing people in our practice, and so many of them hold negative beliefs about themselves. Here are some we commonly hear: I’m unlovable, I’m unworthy, I’m a failure, I’m bad, I won’t survive, It’s not okay to be me, It’s my fault, I’m not enough, and I’m a fake.
People often operate in their belief systems. They impact their performance at work, their connections in romantic relationships, their relationships with family, and even their health. Positive belief systems can enable healthy functioning, and negative ones can disable healthy functioning.
When we talk with clients most of them can combat the belief when they really think about it. They can find examples of times they were lovable, felt worthy, succeeded, were good, survived, were enough, were completely genuine, and on and on.
The reason we hold onto our negative beliefs often has to do with the brain. When you formed that belief you went through a trauma. Your brain latched onto the belief, and now you have to rewire your brain. You have to change the neural pathway.
There are several techniques our Atlanta counselors teach to change neural pathways. One is the use of EMDR therapy. Another, is by changing your thinking into more positive thoughts of yourself and the world. This doesn’t come easy, but exercising the brain is like exercising your other muscles. It takes work, but you eventually see the results.
