Why concealment is only half the story
Karen Bartle
Behavioural Change Specialist @ Dietary Change for People & Planet | Hypnotherapy/NLP Trainer @ Academy of Advanced Changework | ???
We are all technically different, even if we are identical twins.
Some people have visible differences that are interesting or intriguing without question, while others attract confusion, intrigue and even disgust.
As someone living with several visible differences, some since birth, I know it can be incredibly challenging.
Some visible differences we can conceal but does this help to live a normal life?! I suggest and know not!
Concealment is only half the story for someone with dysfunctional beliefs about aspects of their appearance. How do I know? From personal experience!
I was determined to conceal one of my scars every day for over 30 years and was affected terribly by it even though my tracheostomy scar was a sign I was alive and well!
No matter what my family and friends said to appease me, I may as well have been wearing 2 heads on my shoulder. My thinking was as dysfunctional and irrational as it gets.
As a therapist and coach over the last 20 years, I have helped people cure all kinds of phobias and I know there are others like me who are concealing aspects of their appearance too difficult to reveal in public.
I see people, for example, who won’t have intimacy or share their bodies with their partners even with the light off! People who can’t look at themselves in the mirror, or wear anything revealing such as swimming gear.
It doesn’t have to be that way! Curing ourselves of a phobia and distorted/irrational thinking liberate and free us to live without boundaries and anxieties.
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We can live without endless planning and performance and no longer worry about getting asked questions or letting our guard down.
It's not necessary to suffer in silence; you don’t have to!
I'm a testament that there are easy and quick methods of dealing with negative and distorted thinking about ourselves that we no longer need to disguise, conceal, or avoid, once we know-how! The only regret I have is that I didn't have the help and tools to do it sooner!
Spend more time and energy on the things you enjoy rather than the things you're avoiding!
Interested in finding out more about how you can feel empowered to sustainably manage your issues better?
Karen is an advanced practitioner, specialising in resilience for chronic health management and uses a combination of Hypnosis, Mindfulness, CBT, NLP & Coaching in her work. Interested in finding out more about how you can feel empowered to sustainably manage your chronic health condition better? Let's have a chat:?https://lnkd.in/dYAhkTWq