Psychosynthesis Counselling and Therapy

Are you due an Emotional Detox?

Don’t just detox your body – clean out your mind as well!

Spring is finally here – the time of year when people often embark on a detoxification programme to cleanse their body of all sorts of impurities that have been accumulating after the months of winter indulgence. I am always amazed by those who go to such lengths to fast, juice and eliminate certain foods and drinks and stick to strict regimes to improve their physical health.

I admire those who have the discipline to achieve such things but haven’t the carrot munchers forgotten something – what about the body and mind link?  Surely if our bodies deserve that sense of lightness and purification, our minds do too.  Think of the extra energy to be gained from eliminating those negative feelings of inadequacy, anger, resentment and insecurity, which stress us out and drain our resources!

The question is what lengths will we go to in our attempts to detoxify and find that greater sense of wholeness? I suggest you cannot feel truly light if you are suppressing anger or fear, however much you fast or juice.  What is overlooked is how the psyche can become polluted with toxic thoughts.  Certain emotions which have been suppressed can be exhausting, for example anger.  This typically can be seen in people who are depressed – often their anger is turned in on themselves leaving them exhausted and lacking any zest for life.

So at the very time many of us are spring cleaning our homes, we also need to think about spring cleaning our psyches.  If we do not do this then unresolved emotions could start to manifest as illness. (Louise Hay, the self-help author, explains in her book ‘You can heal your life’ how each symptom is linked to a specific unresolved emotion).

We need to face up to those emotions that might be getting in the way of living a more fulfilled life. So what stops us?

Many of us suppress emotions and fears, using a great deal of energy to do so.  One of the most common toxic beliefs underlying all others is “I am not good enough”.  This can be too painful to think about or feel so we go out of our way to avoid thinking the thought and feeling the feeling.

For instance if we feel we are not good enough because we have been told (usually in childhood) that we are inadequate, lazy, ugly or stupid, then we will do our best to compensate.  But however much we try harder, achieve more, overwork, diet, beautify, resort to plastic surgery and act selflessly – or however successful we become – we still feel, deep down inside, that we are not good enough.

We may try to numb our feelings of inadequacy with food, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sugar, sex or workaholism and by isolating ourselves. We may even blame and punish others as a way of avoiding the pain of our perceived inadequacy.  But the problem does not go away. This problem is lack of unconditional love, approval and acceptance for the core self.  People often know this deep down but simply do not how to love themselves.

Healing starts with finding the unconditional self

We heal by getting in touch with, confronting and letting go of the toxic belief that we are imperfect and the emotional pain it causes.  We learn to appreciate and accept and value who we are, just as we would a newborn, a beautiful flower, or a sunset because each is perfect as it is. It does not have to have to do anything or achieve anything to be lovable – and nor do we.  Through self-acceptance at such a fundamental level, life stops being distorted by the constant effort to make up for deficiencies.

The ultimate purpose of an Emotional Detox is to free people of the belief and emotions surrounding not being good enough and help them learn how to unconditionally love who they are instead of the person they are trying to become.

Out of unconditional love, acceptance and approval of the self, actions, life choices, goals, achievements and successes grow from wholeness, instead of the fear of not being good enough.  The result is an entirely different feeling or energy that naturally attracts love from others. Invariably, confidence to explore new directions or goals and greater creativity emerge. They come from our authenticity instead of an attempt to make up for any perceived shortcomings.  Individuals begin to be able to accept compliments without feeling unworthy or fraudulent.  They feel more real.

As a result of living a life built on unconditional self love we attract (and are attracted to) healthier relationships and more favorable circumstances in our professional and personal lives.  This is because wholeness attracts wholeness whereas fear, especially hidden fear of our inadequacy, attracts fearful abusive, controlling people and inharmonious situations time and time again.

When we value and approve of ourselves we expect to be treated well and stop accepting or putting up with mistreatment from others.  We are empowered to confront or move away from unpleasantness and antagonistic people simply stop treating us badly because our energy and dynamic has changed.

My Emotional Detox Programme includes a process of inner parenting, which involves discovering what the individual wants and needs in terms of nurturing, unconditional love, security and protection.  I work with clients in my practice to help individuals find these qualities within themselves so all their relationships become healthier.

During Emotional Detox sessions people release suppressed emotions like fear, hurt, anger, guilt, worthlessness, inadequacy.  When we face up to the different parts of ourselves we free up much repressed energy which can be used to allow more energy and creativity in our lives. The result is a feeling of lightness and renewed energy.

So perhaps next time when you reach for the celery sticks you could also consider emotionally detoxifying too. If you desire greater energy, creativity, balance, peace and meaning in your life then please call me on 07957 418 985 or email.