Positive Works

Helping clients see the positives in their lives is possible when we focus on the obvious.

 For example, when a client is talking about being a loser because he can't seem to get anything right my question is always pretty much the same:

            "You know one thing you're doing right?" 

They never know quite where I’m going with that question and normally wait for me to continue.

            "Simply by being here you're doing something right.  You're making a positive statement about your life.  You’re telling the world 'I'm worth the time and effort it takes to change; I 'm worth the investment in myself.’"

 While it may sometimes seem a stretch, often there's nowhere else to start when a client is depressed and down on himself. So I start with what I have before me. 

And it often works, because instead of dwelling on what they don't have, they focus on why they came to counseling in the first place.

And attitude can be everything when we’re working on our recovery.