Message from The College Counsellor………

Ms. Aafreen Khan 
MA in Clinical Psychology
Counselor
2 years experience in counselling

Counselling is a collaborative effort between the counsellor and the client. Counsellors  assist clients in identifying their goals and potential solutions to issues that cause emotional distress. Counselling can give a person the chance to express their opinions, be heard, and obtain new perspectives on their difficulties and experiences.

The most important thing that someone can do for themselves is to reach out for help. But unfortunately, the stigma prevents many from getting the help they need.  More people will have the courage to seek assistance and improve their lives when mental illness is addressed on par with other physical illnesses.

A rough patch, a terrible day, or a major setback! There are times when it seems like everything is going wrong one after another. You can experience an unanticipated problem or obstacle and end up feeling anxious, stressed out, and unclear of what to do. You also sometimes have no drive or lack in creativity. All of a sudden, you’re tormented with self-doubt.

It’s okay to not be okay.

What happens when two fingers are placed into a Chinese finger trap and released? The toy starts to feel constricted around your fingers. The trap just becomes tighter as you pull more firmly. Your fingers feel squeezed as it closes in. In short, the more you struggle to escape the troubling thing, the stronger grip it has! This is comparable to how we feel. Your emotions will grab you more tightly the harder you attempt to push them away. You make an effort to withdraw and act as if you aren’t upset, scared, or angry. You try to forget the pain or to forget a traumatic experience. You can even convince yourself for a brief moment that everything is fine. And then it happens. Your emotions start to tighten around you. The more you try to push away a memory or an emotion, the more tightly it holds on to you. Ironically, giving up the fight is what ultimately frees you; when you unwind, you are released.

Accept that it’s ok to not feel okay. You are not the only one who feels lonely, lost, or unmotivated, so don’t fight the urge to feel “bad” about it. Remember that even though most people rarely discuss it, we all know what it’s like to “not be okay.” All those feelings are natural. We all occasionally go through these feelings. We frequently cause more harm than good by trying to conceal, dismiss, or deny these emotions because they will continue to manifest in our life in various ways. Give yourself additional love on these days and the room to battle with these challenging feelings. It’s okay to say that you’re not okay. Your feelings and emotions are valid, no matter what they are.