A Journey to Healing: What could the therapeutic journey look like?

*The case below is a fictional client, she is not based on any client I work with now, or in the past. She has been created to illustrate a possible therapeutic journey to give you an idea of what therapy can look like and one possible outcome. People are unique and their journeys as nuanced and individual as they are :). But if you have never been to therapy, this illustration can give you an idea of some possibilities.

Meet Lisa.* She’s in her 40s, a successful journalist with a knack for storytelling and a chronic case of burnout. Lisa came to therapy not just to talk about her stress at work but to understand why she kept falling into the same patterns: toxic relationships, people pleasing, and an addiction to work.

Starting Therapy

When Lisa first walked into my therapy room, she was exhausted. Despite her professional success, she felt trapped in a cycle of overworking and trying to make everyone happy, except herself. She had been in several abusive relationships and lacked boundaries both at work and in her personal life. She wanted to break free from these patterns but didn't know how.

Building Trust

The first step was building trust. Lisa needed a safe space to express her feelings without judgment. We spent our initial sessions talking about her current struggles and validating her emotions. There were tears, anger, and even moments of laughter. Every emotion was held and validated, helping Lisa feel understood and supported.

Discovering her past and present

As we built our therapeutic relationship, we began to explore Lisa’s history. It became clear that her childhood played a significant role in her current struggles. Lisa grew up with a narcissistic mother who was highly critical and controlling. Her mother never allowed Lisa to have her own space or make her own decisions, constantly undermining her self-esteem.

Understanding the Impact

We delved into how this trauma had shaped Lisa’s beliefs about herself and the world. She had internalised the idea that she needed to please others to be valued and that her needs were secondary. This realisation was painful but crucial. By understanding the origins of her behaviours, Lisa began to see how these patterns were not her fault but rather coping mechanisms she developed to survive her childhood.

Challenging Beliefs

With this knowledge, we started challenging her deep-seated beliefs. Lisa learned that she was worthy of respect and love without having to constantly please others. We worked on setting healthy boundaries, both at work and in her personal life. She practiced saying no and prioritising her own needs, which was a significant shift for her.

Developing Strategies

Lisa also learned the importance of work-life balance. We discussed strategies to prevent burnout, such as taking regular breaks, setting realistic goals, and creating a supportive network. She started to recognise the signs of overworking and took steps to address them before reaching burnout.

Healing from Trauma

A critical part of our work was addressing the trauma from her past relationships. We explored how her childhood experiences with her mother influenced her choice in partners and her experiences of abusive behaviour. By processing these traumas, Lisa began to heal and develop healthier relationship patterns.

Embracing Her Authentic Self

After several weekly sessions, Lisa started to see real changes. She felt less pain and had a deeper understanding of herself. She no longer felt the need to chronically people please and was able to show up authentically in her relationships and at work. She had developed strategies to maintain a healthy work-life balance and was no longer driven by the need to prove herself.

Moving Forward

Lisa’s journey in therapy was transformative. She left therapy feeling empowered, with a toolkit of strategies to live a healthier, more balanced life. She was in touch with her authentic self, able to set boundaries, and was no longer afraid to prioritise her own needs. She had an understanding of the impact of experiences and this awareness gave her a sense of control over her feelings and emotions, she could sit with difficult thoughts and respond to er body cues. Lisa understood that the traumatic experiences had left her disconnect fro herself, but had used the therapeutic space to accept herself and live a life she felt in control of.

Trauma can manifest in so many ways, this is just an example of one way trauma can show up. Anger, substance use, feelings of shame or being “bad”, difficulty regulating emotions, low mood, anxiety and low self esteem can all be impacts of trauma. Therapy can offer a path to healing and self-discovery. It’s about finding a safe space to explore your past, understand your patterns, and develop new, healthier ways of living.

Reach out today to start your own journey towards a more fulfilling life.