There is a Japanese art called ‘Kintsugi’ that teaches that broken objects are not something to hide but to be displayed with pride.
Each piece of ceramic is mended with liquid gold or silver. The cracks are on show for all to see their unique story.
I was discussing this the other night with a hypnotherapist who has many years of experience. He was giving me tips on how to grow my hypnotherapy business, and his biggest piece of advice was:
Always be yourself!
More than anything, be you!
Show your clients you are human, and you have experienced adversity.
That your life is not and has never been perfect. People like to see authentic humans, not a facade. It doesn’t mean you should share your problems in their therapy session, but acknowledge you understand life’s adversities. BE REAL! BE YOU!
In a world where social media gives us a false perception of what life should look like, I think being authentic is needed more than ever.
My reality is that from the age of 13 years old, anxiety and depression coloured my life.
I lived under a blanket of medication, fearing the day when that crutch would need to be removed. In 2018 I removed that crutch and started healing what was underneath. Over the next three years, I bought my experiences to the surface. I allowed myself to acknowledge each memory, emotion and feeling. I did some of it on my own; most of the profound healing took place once I started hypnotherapy. Working directly with the keeper of my emotions, my emotional mind. In January this year, I delved to the deepest parts and came up breathing the fresh air. It was like a light had suddenly be switched on, and the windows had been opened.
The irony is, I have always known what it was in the depths, but I had put it in a nice little box with a bow on top. The trouble is bows have a habit of unravelling, and lids have a way of sliding off. The years when I took medication were a way of holding a symbolic hand over the sliding lid. Until eventually, not even that metaphorical hand was strong enough. I had to remove that hand and look inside.
And look inside, I did.
Am I glad I did?
You bet I am!
I can talk about how I have healed for that very reason - I have healed. I no longer have open wounds. Don’t get me wrong, there are still days when I think, ‘God, I wish I could box all of that shit up again.’ But what good would that do? I would eventually end up with another box full of emotions pushing the lid off.
So when he advised me to be myself, I listened because,
He is a very successful hypnotherapist, he’s worth listening to.
I believe there is too much falsity in our modern lives, it is affecting our mental well-being.
When I see a therapist, I want to see a real person, not someone who has all the correct theories and words to say but is sharing a false persona.
I listened because I’m not very good at being anything but me, and I am happy to be me. I can show you my silver scars with pride - these experiences have shaped who I am. They make me the person you will meet when you come to heal your wounds.
Each one of us has a story to tell. I am here for you if you want to share your story with me. I can help you heal those wounds and pour on your own liquid gold or silver.
To start your healing process contact me HERE
I look forward to meeting you
Hannah