Identity Exploration in therapy
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Identity can be a complex and multifaceted aspect of our existence. It can guide and inform many things including personal values, relationships, and how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Identity is a primary way to make sense of our place in the world and what we choose to prioritize through our behaviors and relationships.
It can be challenging to determine what aspects of our identity are our own choice and what aspects of how we see ourselves come from other external influences such as societal norms, the families and groups we grew up in, and other pressures we might feel in the world around us. The stigma and pressure that can exist if aspects of our identity are marginalized and don't align with the mainstream culture can be stifling and shut down exploration and inquisitive curiosity around certain parts of who we are. Therapy can provide a safe and confidential space to grow curiosity about who we are and what we value. Therapy can also provide specific tools to articulate personal values and enhance self-awareness that can be valuable for anyone looking to contact a more stable and personally affirming conceptualization of their own identity. Therapy has the potential to be an open space to ask big questions about ourselves in a non-judgmental and curious manner. While those around us often have their own feelings and reactions to who we are and who they might want us to be, therapy has no pressure in any particular direction and isn't designed to be coercive or to influence identity exploration in any particular way. The open environment can be a space to hear yourself out loud and to have a trained professional help you find your own values and language around identity in the process of exploring. Contact me today if you'd like to begin the challenging and potentialy rewarding journey to explore and further define your own unique identity. |
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