Counselling can certainly stir things up. Clients turn up wanting, and expecting, to talk about one thing and then find themselves veering off into areas they never knew existed. This can be scary, challenging and, ultimately, rewarding.
One client arrived intending to deal with a recent bereavement. Predictably, in the first session, he needed to offload his grief and express what he was feeling - things that he either couldn't, or didn't want, to discuss with friends or family.
However, in the next session, he began a complete re-evaluation of his life: who he was, where he was headed, what he might want out of life, how he might find meaning. He started to question his very essence in a positive and constructive way. He had no idea where these thoughts came from or where the session might end but the experience of talking to me (or of talking in my presence) enabled him to go places he had never acknowledged, and to touch on thoughts and emotions of which he had not been aware.
It was an mind-opening experience for both of us and one which seemed to launch him on a journey of self-discovery which, potentially, would continue long after he had left the counselling room.
This sounds like a wonderful session---it's a credit to you that you were able to provide the acceptance and receptivity that made it possible for this client to bravely dive in and explore new territory.
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