Humans are social beings and the most important relationship in our lives is the relationship we cultivate with ourselves. We are unique and precious, worthy of love and dignity, yet sometimes we find it hard to feel like this within ourselves. Our relationship with ourselves, others and the world is particularly strongly shaped when we have gone through painful experiences in the past, or are currently going through a difficult time in the present.

When we experience something difficult, we often feel lonely, scared, sad, angry, inferior, or powerless inside. Negative thoughts, unpleasant emotions, and bad relationships with other people can hinder us to such an extent that we cannot find a way out of the vicious circle. We feel like we’re losing ourselves and that our lives are losing their meaning. A sign of inner strength at such times is to take care of ourselves and seek help if we feel we need it.

Individuals most often seek therapeutic help in cases when they:

• lack self-confidence and have low self-esteem (feelings of inferiority and incompetence);
• have difficulty recognizing their genuine needs, accepting themselves, their emotions and their body;
• feel emotional distress at life’s turning points (leaving home, childbirth, loss of job, illness, etc.);
• experience anxiety, panic attacks, fear, depression or postpartum depression;
• have problems at work, are exhausted, burnt out;
• start reopening old wounds which they feel are preventing them from living a fuller life;

• are caring parents who would like to give their child a better guidance in life than they themselves have received;
• experience obstacles in the relationship, but their partner does not want to participate in the therapeutic process;
• are addicts or concerned relatives of an addict;
• have experienced emotional, physical or sexual violence;
• are recovering from the emotional trauma caused by a divorce;
• lose meaning in life;
• mourn the loss of a loved one.

These individuals learn to accept themselves, their emotions and genuine needs, they also find it easier to trust and listen to themselves. New emotions, such as interest, gratitude, pride and joy, substitute pain and they gradually become more compassionate and loving towards themselves and others. As they evolve within themselves, they become freer and can more easily develop their own life as well as form relationships with other people.