Letting Go Of The Past

June 1st, 2009 by Liz Potter

A lot of adults who seek counselling have issues which have direct links to traumatic events in their childhood. Childhood abuse, whether sexual, physical or emotional can lead to problems in later life. Adults who have experienced such abuse as children often find it difficult to form and maintain relationships. They can also exhibit inappropriate behaviour such as extreme anger and a desire to hurt those nearest to them.
A lack of proper parenting can lead to insecure attachment on the part of the child. In adult life this can result in strong attachments, sometimes to the wrong people, often stifling and inappropriate in nature. Again this can adversely affect relationships.

Counselling can help a client to reach an understanding of the root of their issues. The client can be gently led to discover things in their past which have a direct impact on the way they think, feel and behave today. Although it can sometimes be distressing to have to face the past, it is only by facing it in the safe environment of counselling that the client will be able to move on and let go.

Getting in touch with past feelings and expressing them can bring release. By then putting these events in the context of the past, where they belong, the client can leave them behind. The work can then focus on the present, allowing emotion to heal, and learning how to be in relationships.

Through this process clients learn a lot about themselves and start to understand the dynamics of their relationships better. In letting go of the past they are freed up to create the future they desire.