Truth is more important...

Last week, I received an email that our school will be having a visiting counselor for any staff that would like some time to process through personal issues.  Since I’m a counselor, I’m all for seeing one!  I’ve never really been one to hide issues or feel embarrassed if I need to talk about them.  However, I always leave room in case it doesn’t “work out.”  I let Ben know that I’ll be leaving on the 5:00 bus, unless I don’t think he’s a good counselor, and I’ll try to rush our session and leave on the 3:45 bus.  :) That’s me trying to be logical with my time.  

Well, he was in fact a great counselor, and it was well worth my time.  I’ll spare you all the details of the session, but I’m so glad that I got to process through all the transition I’ve been in.  Personally, I think our school needs at least a part time counselor for our staff… it seems very much needed. But that’s beside the point.

Because the counselor and I spent some time talking on a professional level as well, he felt as if he could speak counselor to counselor.  At the end of our session, he said, “I’m going to say something very un-counselor like.” He paused as he carefully chose his words, “Your life sucks right now. And I’m glad I’m not you.”  I laughed at his comment, ...and I realized what he did was actually a very counselor like thing to do, as he was trying to disengage and allow me enough humor to move on.  He continued to say, “You’re in the middle of transition. You’re in the middle of the wilderness.”  I finished his sentence and said (just like I’ve said to dozens of other people) “…and there’s no 3 step process or book that’s going to fix me.”  “That’s right,” he said.  “You are right where you should be. In the wilderness.” Then we said at the same time, “It doesn’t help, but it’s the truth.”  As I laughed at our simultaneous statement he ended our conversation with, “That’s okay that it doesn’t help.  It’s the truth.  And the truth is more important than feeling helped.”