A big part of therapy is reflecting, together with your therapist, on what’s not working for you — and how you want things to be instead. Reflection is really helpful in creating space for us to learn new and important information about ourselves — to notice patterns, triggers, reactions, origins. However, it’s also important to notice when reflecting blocks us from really feeling things. If you’re constantly thinking, analyzing, planning, worrying, future-tripping or otherwise ricocheting around in your head (sound familiar?), how much are you really being present?
A skilled therapist will be able to help you ground back into the present moment by using the anchor that is your body. We can heal and learn so much about ourselves when we pay close, mindful attention to our internal experience. And then, after that, to really seal the deal, reflecting on what that was like, to be so attuned to your internal experience, is an excellent way to spend time in therapy or on your own. Reflecting on new experiences and feeling all the feelings that go with that are ways that our brain grows and develops new neural pathways and capacities. It's exciting stuff -- just try not to forget the key first step of being present, in your body, and grounded in your internal experience.
