Team Lostboys

Sitting in my therapy room across from a young man. he is relaxed in the chair, his arms open and loosely moving as he speaks to me. A transformation from the tension and nerves of his first session. We have had a couple of appointments. he looks into my eyes and starts to nod and smile as he says, you know what? I know it's going to be hard, but I know I can do it. My eyes sting and I swallow. The smile sweeps across every muscle in my face. he had felt the shift and now so have I . He came into this room some time ago, fearful of the world and everything he had to face. Pervasive self-doubt led him to feel dread for every new change and challenge. He left therapy that day with his head held a little higher. Not because of me I have no magical ability to heal anyone or change their life. He had not needed years of therapy that unravelled his childhood. In this situation as in many others the major part of my role is as an educator. I passed on insights about what the science says and what has worked for others once he understood and started using the concepts and skills a transformation began, he started to believe in his own strength. He started dealing with difficult situations in healthy new ways While longer term more in depth therapy is appropriate for some people there are so many people simply need education about how they could manage their mental health day to day. I knew the catalyst was not me, it was the knowledge they where being introduced to, sure the information is out there but in a sea of misinformation you have to know what you are looking for This group is not therapy in the same way that a group about maximising your physical health isn't medicine. Only more recently has it become acceptable to openly and visibly work on your mental health. This means you don't need to wait till your struggling to join lostboys, because it is ok to build upon your mental health and resilience, even if you are not unwell or struggling right now.