Following a Counselling with Choice Theory session recently, a woman who had been in great pain, slept well for the first time since her accident six months ago.
A three meter fall from a ladder had left her in severe pain with a compression fracture of her L1. This required her to wear a brace she calls "Lady Gaga". The fall also set off neuro pain from a previous surgery to remove a tumour.
The accident and resulting pain was impacting on her relationships with family and her husband. Others wanted to give her advice, telling her what to do. Her husband was frustrated and angry at the length of time it was taking her to function as she was able to before the accident.
Her medical team, while supportive, was unable to give her pain relief that she felt comfortable with.
She was feeling unsupported, alone and worthless.
During the counselling session she was able to identify a plan using a metaphor.
She and her husband had owned a yacht and leaving the mooring each Friday evening and sailing up the Broadwater was a refuge for her from an extremely busy work life.
Her plan was to ‘take her sails out of the wind’ when she was faced with criticism from others and to ‘tack away’.
She re-created a strong image of herself in charge of the yacht, hand on the tiller and the wind on her face. The energy shift and the change in thinking when discussing this image was noticeable.
