386: [Healing What You Can't Erase] Debra Fileta, M.A., L.P.C., on Holding Grief and Joy in Tandem, Navigating Levels of Depression, OCD and Hypervigilance, and Rewriting Internal Narratives
Apr 3, 2024
auto_awesome
Debra Fileta, a professional counselor, discusses holding grief and joy together, navigating depression and OCD, and rewriting internal narratives. The conversation dives into acknowledging feelings without judgment, distinguishing depression from a dark night of the soul, embracing change for healing, breaking negative rumination cycles, and transforming trauma into growth.
Acknowledging grief leads to wholeness and allows space for joy to fill the void.
Healing is a journey of strength and resilience, involving acceptance and management of mental health struggles.
Deep dives
Holding Grief and Joy Together
Acknowledging and addressing grief rather than covering it up can lead to a sense of wholeness and provide an opportunity to fill the void with joy. By not avoiding grief, individuals can navigate levels of depression, OCD, and hypervigilance, rewriting internal narratives in the process. Addressing grief allows for a container to be transformed into an opportunity for personal growth and redemption.
Healing Is a Posture, Not Just a Feeling
Healing is portrayed as a strength rather than a transient feeling in the journey towards recovery. Acknowledging mental health struggles, such as depression and anxiety, involves accepting and managing emotional experiences while continuing daily activities. Understanding that healing is about strengthening and resilience, rather than solely focusing on emotional states, can facilitate long-term well-being.
Moving Towards Change
Initiating change and transformation in life can be challenging, but resistance to change can lead to prolonged suffering. While the process of healing may involve discomfort, embracing change is essential for growth and achieving true transformation. Recognizing that enduring temporary pain of change is ultimately more manageable than stagnation can motivate individuals to embrace the journey of healing and growth.
Rewriting Internal Narratives for Healing
Acknowledging negative or self-defeating thoughts and patterns can be a crucial step in the journey to healing. By identifying and recording negative thought patterns, individuals gain awareness of their mental landscape and can begin to challenge and replace these narratives with healthier alternatives. Engaging with a trusted counselor can provide an external perspective to support the process of recognizing and changing detrimental thought patterns.
This week, we are continuing the launch of my brand new book, Healing What You Can't Erase. Joining us today is my good friend and professional counselor, Debra Fileta. Today, we're talking with Debra about holding grief and joy in tandem, navigating levels of depression, OCD and hypervigilance, and rewriting internal narratives.
Now, ahead of our conversation, I want to invite you to do a couple of things:
Follow me on Instagram. My handle is @WINTODAYChris. I started a brand new broadcast channel called Transformation Training. It'll be an under-the-hood conversation with you all about mental, emotional, and spiritual health.