Yin Yang Kitty Therapy

StarryEyed
StarryEyed Community Member Posts: 1,438 Championing
in Mental health and wellbeing

There are all kinds of therapies out there and I've been doing one since I was young - first in the context of undergoing constant criticism as a child, then criticism in the psychiatric system, then criticism in the medical system. All criticisms were deemed reasons to justify harming me in various ways.

Fortunately I have a resilient core, and I've kept defending myself sufficiently to escape the childhood trauma and the medical trauma. However, due to an incurable psychiatric illness, I cannot completely prevent further psychiatric trauma. Regardless of my escapes, the effects of the trauma continue to be a challenge to digest and assimilate. But I continue on my quest of acceptance. As the decades have passed, I've also learned the importance of treating others with acceptance. Acceptance of self and others is a real game changer.

I recently came across these images on Pinterest that are an excellent summary of this approach of my inner resilient voice. So I've decided to call this therapeutic approach Yin Yang Kitty Therapy. 😊

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I'm wondering if others might want to share a bit about the value of acceptance? Or maybe you have a different experience and don't find acceptance valuable?

Comments

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 3,893 Online Community Team

    I want to think a bit more about an answer to this, but just wanted to say that yin yang kitty therapy is an amazing name and I'd like to subscribe to any future sessions 😂

  • StarryEyed
    StarryEyed Community Member Posts: 1,438 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1129481#Comment_1129481

    I looove the name too!!! 😂 Aren't the names of all therapies so boring and serious and functional sounding?! Just these names can be enough to put one off signing up, let alone having hope of getting better. 😁

    Looking forward to your thoughts. 👍🏼

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 3,893 Online Community Team

    I have a need to be accepted and I get quite upset when people don't like me. I try to rationalise it and remind myself that I don't like everyone I've ever met because sometimes personalities just clash, but I still struggle. I think it's really important to be able to accept yourself for who you are. That's taken me a long time to do and I'm still not there yet. I think once you've managed that, being accepted by others won't seem as important. That's what I hope anyway!

  • StarryEyed
    StarryEyed Community Member Posts: 1,438 Championing
    edited June 3
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1129570#Comment_1129570

    Yes!!! Zactly the same for me! 😊 And there's no one that everyone likes. Absolutely no one. Never was anyone and probably never will be anyone.

    I used to think accepting that was declaring peace. But I know what peaceful feels like, and it's never felt peaceful. Recently with (more) family drama, I came up with the idea that the acceptance is really a truce, rather than a declaration of peace. A truce is quite different than peace. But I'm okay with that. I think a truce is more realistic.

    So acceptance can be a truce. It is not necessarily even a peaceful feeling. Would you describe your stance as a declaration of peace or a truce? On that note, here's one of my favourite songs by the Eagles, 'Peaceful, Easy Feeling'... 😊

    https://youtu.be/QRMIgT3thFM?is=kfZU00V33uFXe77g
  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 3,893 Online Community Team

    I'd not actually heard that song before, so thanks, I love it!

    Sorry you've got some family drama. Are you able to stay out of it for the most part? I think a truce is kinder on yourself as peace to me is accepting everything forever, if that makes sense? A truce is more temporary which can be taken away if the other person's actions are too far removed from what you consider acceptable. As I've got older I've definitely got better at choosing the right people to be in my life and I put time and effort into the relationships that are positive with no drama. Luckily my family is very small so there isn't much opportunity for drama.

    Accepting myself is the thing that's difficult. Should I make peace with who I am? I mean that makes me sound like I'm some sort of tyrant, I promise I'm not 😂

  • StarryEyed
    StarryEyed Community Member Posts: 1,438 Championing

    Hi @Rachel_Scope

    You're welcome 😊

    Yes, I'm on a break from the part of the family that's problematic. Four months now. In the context of the language of our discussion here, it just occurred to me that this break isn't even a truce, but a cease-fire. 😁 When we get back together (planned over the next few weeks), I'll frame it as a truce. Yes, I do like the idea that a truce is temporary and flexible. I mean really isn't true peace always just a pie in the sky, because dynamics are always changing? So maybe a truce is the best any of us can really hope for.

    Speaking about other angles of my life, I think a truce is a fair assessment all around, including between parts of myself. We all have parts of ourselves that are challenging. ((I totally can't see you as a tyrant! No! ❤️)) For me, trying to silence or deny those challenging parts has been both ineffective and counterproductive.

    My tiny, little, eensie, weensie voice of protest as a child has grown stronger over the years, but I'm still so far off from healthy in being able to defend myself. But if I consider the destructive forces I've faced since forever, my voice is like a lion's roar. Because shouldn't what we're up against factor into the equation of our strength? I try to consider that when I fall apart in conflict, and accept that I'm doing my best. And accept everyone else is doing their best. We're all imperfect. We've all messed up. And we're all going to keep messing up. Somewhere in there is acceptance. And somewhere is defeat. A bit of both.

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