REMEMBERING ROSES: THERAPEUTIC INSIGHTS ON THE TRAIL
Have you noticed that summer has passed? There is this stretch in September that feels like a piece of infinity. Where all the fun has played out and we wait, filled with anxiety, for the next season. I know there are times when I have tried to push forward and demand change when it isn’t possible. Sometimes September feels like this. Sometimes I feel like this...
Just Getting Through It? Or Actually Enjoying the Hike?
I have a friend who is horticulturally gifted. I am not, far from it, actually. We hiked together a lot this summer. On one of our hikes, I ended up quite a few paces in front of her, partly annoyed that she was lagging when I was ready to be done. She called out to me, urging me back up the trail “Come back! Come back and smell this!” I. Was. Done. I wanted to be through with the hike and back in the AC of my car. But, I took a breath and obliged, walking back up the trail.
Pausing For A Moment Can Make A Difference
It was a wild rose she wanted me to smell. I took a whiff; I got nothing. My friend rolled her eyes and said, “You have to take a second. Sniff it, deeply.” What is that even supposed to mean? I wondered. I stopped, relaxed a bit, and leaned in for another smell. There was this delightfully fresh scent in that moment. Light and sweet and very, very faint. My friend explained that wild roses bloom for only a short time, and, unlike domesticated roses, you have to pause for a moment to appreciate what they offer. In truth, it didn’t even look like a rose to me. I marched by, totally unaware.
In that moment, I was struck with the thought that I would have completely missed this amazing experience in my hurry to rush on, and without my friend. As I reflect on the end of September, I think about this moment a lot. How often are we demanding a change instead of pausing in the present? If we’re being honest, it is probably pretty frequent.
In Therapy For Anxiety You Have to Take A Step Back
In therapy, sometimes our desire to feel better can cause us to push forward when the season isn’t ready to change. Little insights don’t feel like much when we are in pain, depressed, stressed, anxious, afraid, or exhausted. Or, in my case, sweaty and ready for dinner at the end of a hike. But, I want to invite you back up the trail with me.
Take some time, relax your shoulders and enjoy the tiny scent of the fleeting summer rose, so that as we greet fall, we can remember the sweetness. Remember little steps still lead to big steps. That’s true whether you’re hiking up a mountain, strolling the isles of a grocery store, or sitting in a room, talking with someone who cares a lot about what you have to share.
Start Therapy for Anxiety in Bozeman, MT
Stopping and remembering the roses is not always as easy as it sounds. But it is an important part of being able to step back and enjoy our lives. If you need support in doing this we can help with therapy for anxiety. If you are ready to get started at Bridger Peaks Counseling follow these steps:
Reach out to speak with an anxiety therapist
Schedule your first appointment for anxiety treatment
Start noticing the roses in your life
Other Therapy Services Offered In Bozeman, MT
Our Montana counselors offer therapeutic services to support your mental health. This includes addiction counseling, teen counseling, EMDR therapy, and trauma therapy. As well as marriage counseling, postpartum support, rising strong workshops, and more. We also now have a Psychiatric Nurse who offers psychiatric care and medication management.