GRIEF, DEPRESSION & TENDING TO THE SOUL
I was recently introduced to a book called “Care of the Soul” by a dear mentor who has helped point me toward tending to my own soul once again. In particular, I was guided and then drawn to a chapter called “Gifts of Depression.” Immersing myself in this chapter, both by reading the entirety of the chapter, certain lines, or at times paragraphs over the past months, has been quite timely for me.
What if Depression isn’t Good or Bad?
Thomas Moore states, “What if ‘depression’ were simply a state of being, neither good nor bad, something a soul does in its own good time and for its own good reason?” (p. 140). Earlier in the chapter he wonders about the idea of colorizing old black and white movies and if it might behoove us to consider gray, blue, and black as also important in the landscape of life.
So often we are quick to chase away the so-called “negative” and “bad” feelings and yet perhaps they have something to teach us. Certainly, if someone is in the depth of depression and considering suicide one needs to get the person the depression counseling and support that they need in that darkness. And yet once stabilized, I wonder is there something that the soul can learn and gain from that darkness? Moore suggests that “we offer it a place of acceptance and containment” (p. 141).
Grier Counseling: Acceptance & Containment
Notice the words acceptance and containment. I often reflect on the various times of grief in my life and how I either numbed it out or pushed it away. Not wanting to feel the pain and sorrow that the experience brought to my soul. And yet now, as I allow that grief to emerge, accept it within the containment of support of others and within my own body, it can be embraced and transformed. Through this process, I am tending to my soul.
Moore discusses the importance of not wallowing in but allowing the depressive feelings and thoughts to be so that “in so doing, we might find a way into this emptiness of the heart” (p. 154). Perhaps, if you experience grief and/or depression you can consider the idea of tending to your soul without judgment of that pain. Instead, reach out to friends, family, a mentor, or a grief counselor. Get the support you need at Bridger Peaks Counseling In Bozeman, MT, through depression counseling or grief counseling. We will provide you a place to accept and contain this gift, to embrace what it has to offer and teach you.
Final Thoughts From A Grief Counselor in Bozeman, MT
To close, I will share my favorite quote from Moore:
“Hiding in the dark places results in the loss of the soul; speaking for them and from them offers a way toward genuine community and intimacy” (p. 148).
If you are struggling to tend to your soul know that you do not have to do it alone. As a depression therapist and grief counselor, I can guide you through the process and help you accept what “negative” and “bad feelings have to teach us.
Are You Ready to Start Depression or Grief Counseling in Bozeman, MT?
When going through times of grief or depression it can be hard to see the lessons that are available for us to learn. Instead of tending to our souls and embracing the process, it is easier for us to numb the “bad” or “negative” feelings. As a Bozeman grief counselor and depression therapist, I can provide you with a place of acceptance and containment. Giving you the support you need to tend to your soul. In order to start, depression counseling or grief counseling at Bridger Peaks Counseling follow these simple steps.
Contact us to speak with a caring therapist.
Schedule your first appointment at Bridger Peaks Counseling.
Start tending to your soul!
Other Mental Health Services At Bridger Peaks Counseling in Montana
In our Bozeman, MT-based therapy office, we strive to support all of your mental health needs. Our dedicated team of caring counselors in Montana can support you in person or through online therapy. We provide therapy for addiction, group therapy, teen counseling, and marriage counseling. In addition to EMDR, trauma therapy, postpartum support, rising strong workshops, and more. Connect with us today to start getting support!
References
Moore, T. (1992). Care of the Soul. Harper Collins, New York, NY.