Ask the Therapist

If you’ve ever been to therapy, I’m sure you can relate to the question; “I wonder what my therapist is really thinking?”  It takes tremendous courage to enter into a room and sit face-to-face with a complete stranger to share with them the most intimate details of your life.  I, even though I’m a therapist myself, can experience the apprehensive fear of judgment when I share some of my most challenging  questions, thoughts and experiences with a therapist.  

I have great admiration for those that walk into my office and trust me to hold their raw wounds with the utmost grace and respect.  It makes sense why some people would shy away from ever sitting on the “proverbial couch”.  It seems so cliche in some ways, yet every human being has some THING that they are wrestling with in their lives.  Many times, we might think that what we are dealing with is deeply personal and unique to our own life. “Surely no one would understand and would judge if they knew I had this question, thought, behavior, etc.” I often wish my clients and those around me could see and hear what I do on a daily basis.  How easily they would come to understand that they are not alone in their ordeals.  

I’m fascinated by just how much we all are dealing with the same underlying challenges, even if the specific storyline and characters differ.  I’ve always found comfort in group sharing activities, podcast interviews, magazine articles and stories and other mediums that remind me that I am not alone and might even get an answer to a question that I have without having to be the one to ask it.  This is why we’ve designed this column.  So that in each issue you can have the opportunity to read about the problems and questions that other people have and get a therapist’s take on it!  Or, maybe you are the one who decides to take the leap and share your question with us at Siouxland Magazine! We will keep your identity private and you can get some perspective on your situation.  

So, you’re all invited to sit on your own couch each issue and join us in a conversation!  Take it or leave it, either way I’m happy to be on this journey with you in just another form of connection.  

You can submit your “Question to the Therapist” by visiting jackiepaulson.com and send your question through the contact page. Please put “Question to the Therapist” in the subject line.

 Jackie Paulson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered 500Hour Yoga Instructor. She has over a decade of experience in the helping field and offers holistic therapies that combine an east meets west approach to therapy. 

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