Suffering is Optional

When I say suffering is optional, that might seem loaded. I don’t believe that anyone can move through life unscathed. Struggle is very much a part of life. What we choose to do with that struggle is the optional part. This might sound flippant considering the horrific things humans experience on an ongoing basis. I am, by no means trying to discount this. What I am saying is there is so much we can do when we face hardship.

Healing is an incredibly difficult journey. I strongly believe and often tell my clients they have so much courage to dive into the past experiences that created painful emotions and compensation behaviors like emotional eating. In my own healing, there were many times I wanted to give up. It got so hard at many points. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to continue. Fortunately, my own stubbornness pulled me through. For the sake of my marriage and child, giving up wasn’t an option because remaining in pain would not allow me to be the wife and mother I wanted desperately to be. In my case, I had to choose healing so suffering wouldn’t destroy the life I had created.

All too often, we are willing to choose suffering because we don’t realize there is another option. We also choose suffering because the alternative feels too hard. Healing is hard. I won’t pull any punches with that, but suffering is hard too. The difference is that the struggle that comes with healing is much shorter than the struggle of suffering. If we aren’t attempting to heal, we are choosing to continue suffering. Using powerful therapies like EMDR, Comprehensive Resource Model and Accelerated Resolution Therapy, we can easily relieve suffering and create healing. The process is intense, but it is so worth it!

If you feel ready to choose healing, contact me to learn more about my process!

Michelle Lewis

Michelle Lewis

Michelle Lewis has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Weber State University and a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Utah. She has been working in the mental health field since 2001.
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