The Brave Enough framework is derived from the belief that engaging in this work is brave and beautiful, not weak and shameful. It's a worldview fundamentally different that what society wants us to believe. The idea emerged from a single journal entry last year and grew into a powerful mindset. It began to shape how I saw myself, my personal work and the work my clients were doing. Here are some of my own Brave Enough mantras to help you get a sense of the BE spirit. I hope these will inspire and guide the work that happens here:
I am brave.
Brave enough to believe there is more to my story.
Brave enough to show up and do the hard work, when all I want to do is to quit.
Brave enough to pick up and try again, even if I do quit.
To feel and make space for my emotions when the desire to numb, suppress and run is so strong.
To dare to grow past my limits and comforts, even when everything inside tells me to hide and stay small.
To hold hope even I don’t feel I have a right to.
To have the hard conversations, and make the hard changes even when I’m scared.
To take steps forward when there is no one in front of me leading the way.
To let go of the lies I have clung to for so long about who I am and who I’m not.
To love all of myself even though parts of me feel hard to accept.
I am brave enough to heal, despite the immense pain that tells me I can’t or that I shouldn’t.
Despite the people and places, and things that tried to break me, invalidate me, take from me, diminish me, harm me, tell me I’m not worthy, not capable, not strong….
I am Brave Enough to step into and claim the life I deserve.
You DO NOT need to be master of this to start therapy. Together we will learn how to feel inklings of courage and respond. This response can only be cultivated through safety: in your body, in the therapeutic relationship and the space around you. Once that is established the spirit of brave enough can begin to grow and eventually overflow outside the walls of the office. Its a process, not a pre-requisite. I'm excited to help you uncover what Brave Enough means to you!
