We invited our friend and colleague John Sayer, a counsellor in the West Midlands to write a short piece on our blog explaining the benefits of having 'time out':
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| John Sayer |
John Sayer - Me Time
It was a pleasure to be asked to make a contribution to the SavyySisters blog, especially as a lot of what they stand for, I believe passionately about within my work.
So, a bit about me first. I’m a fully qualified counsellor and deal with many, many issues in my work. However, in the vast majority of cases what underpins the main problem is the issue of low self-esteem. I offer one-to-one counselling in the main as well as workshops on a variety of subjects.
Self-esteem.
There are various reasons why people don’t feel good about themselves but by addressing the issue(s) they can improve their quality of life and start to feel better about themselves in general and also the world around them. It’s not an easy or short process in the main, but for those who really want to change, the results can be literally, life-changing. An improved level of self-esteem can open new doors and opportunities and reduce associated problems such as depression and anxiety as well as isolation and poor assertiveness.
Someone once said that having low self-esteem is like driving through life with the handbrake on and I think this is a fair description. I run workshops for people who wish to banish the low self-esteem they feel and there have been some amazing results. It just takes a bit of time, some application and the desire to try new things.
One particular area I discuss with my clients is the need to have ‘me-time’, a part of the day when everything else is laid to one side and you can indulge in something simple – something just for you.
It is no exaggeration to say the pace of life is much faster now than ever before and with that comes ever increasing demands on our time from all around us. I believe it is the very tempo of our lives that has led to much of the emotional distresses such as depression and anxiety now seen in our society.
But to bounce back from some of the symptoms of life’s overload is possible, it just takes the application and desire I mentioned above.
So, what’s this got to do with the SavvySisters site? Quite simply they promote the basic premise of relaxation, me-time and creativity. I know Wendy and Jill well and they have proved the value to themselves of indulging their spare time to create something that is unique, something that calls on their imaginative and creative juices.
I have counselled some very sick people who, despite their illness, have incredibly been able to express themselves through creativity be it painting, writing, photography or music to name but a few. Words may have failed them but they found something quite unique not only to show how they might be feeling, but to express an inner antidote to their problems.
Some counsellors will hold specific workshops based on art therapy for example. In my workshops, as well one-to-one counselling, I act merely as the facilitator, allowing the individual to find a trust in themselves so that they may then go away and create on their own. Many bring the results back to the counselling room and I am always humbled at the results I see.
Yet creativity, or the results of me-time, can be as simple as reading a book, experiencing being able to let go in a warm bath, to sit and watch the rain, or to hold a flower. As long as it takes you away from the humdrum, the monotony, the unexciting, then you will have found a new set of feelings and emotions. And that is what SavvySisters is all about.
If you would like to find out more about John's work please email him - empowerment@btinternet.com Thank you John!
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