Why Vega?

Posted byElizabeth WelwoodPosted inMental Health

Vega: a large plain or valley, typically a fertile or grassy one (Oxford Languages, 2023). In therapy, we want to create a firm internal foundation that will support the ups and downs of life. Naturally, because of the harmful things that we have witnessed and experienced, there are bound to be cracks and breakages. Does your inner foundation feel firm and solid, or does it feel shaky? Is it shakier in certain situations or unpredictable? To create a solid foundation, we need to become aware of and repair the breakages. Connecting to the body and becoming aware of our feelings and body sensations is the first step. When we listen to the body, our aches and pains, emotional distress, and mental anguish are communicating important information about the things that are causing harm.

Having compassion for your pain is like tilling and watering dry foundation. It is necessary for healing and growth. Said by Dr. Kristin Neff, “self-compassion is a practice of goodwill.” It also is the act of “giving ourselves unconditional love.” Although it is counterintuitive in Western culture, it is necessary to be compassionate toward even the parts of ourselves that sabotage and inflict pain. Those parts deserve love too because underneath the “bad behavior” there are wounds in need of healing. If we try to change behavior from a place of self-loathing, then our wounds will be further damaged. It would be like placing a seed in a desolate environment without providing any resources and then criticizing the earth.

In my practice, I focus on helping clients cultivate a healthy and solid inner foundation that can withstand the stressors of everyday life. We cannot expect ourselves to produce outcomes without first tending to the foundation. Similar to how the soil needs certain ingredients and care to produce life, our bodies and minds have needs that must be identified and met in order to feel good and thrive. Hence, the name of my practice: Vega Therapy.

References:

Oxford University Press. (2023, July). Oxford Learner’s dictionaries: Find definitions, translations, and grammar explanations at Oxford Learner’s dictionaries. Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries | Find definitions, translations, and grammar explanations at Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

Published by Elizabeth Welwood

I am licensed to counsel individuals who reside in Texas, Tennessee, and Colorado. I enjoy working with adults of all ages, particularly those who are self-motivated and eager to change. My counseling style is warm and non-judgmental. I am skilled in helping individuals work through anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, negative body image, codependent tendencies, and relationship stressors. In order to help you make changes, find relief, and heal emotional wounds, I will expect a willingness to gain insight, self-reflect, and incorporate evidence-based coping skills. When we are seeking change, it is vital to develop a healthy relationship with oneself. Mindfulness and self-compassion exercises are at the core of my practice. I see symptom improvement when interweaving Psychodynamic Therapy with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing. Every human being knows what it is like to suffer from emotional distress. It is natural to suffer; however, there are ways we can soothe our suffering, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. If you choose to work with me, I will hold space for you to process your suffering and help you achieve attainable goals based on your values.

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