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"I don't understand" – three simple words that often mask a world of unspoken feelings. As someone who's spent years in the therapy room, I've witnessed how this phrase rarely signals genuine confusion. Instead, it serves as emotional armor when we're hurt, disappointed, or afraid to engage with difficult truths.

What happens when we replace defensiveness with curiosity?

Whether you're struggling with communication in your personal relationships or professional life, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how to show up differently in charged moments. Download our free Emotional Intelligence Reflection Worksheet from the episode description to practice these skills and transform your difficult conversations. If something in this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who might need it and leave a review – your support helps others find these tools when they need them most.

Download your copy of The Emotional Intelligence Reflection Worksheet.

https://mysites.therapysites.com/0062436/storage/app/media/Emotional_Intelligence_Reflection_Worksheet.docx

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Thanks for listening and if you have enjoyed The Counselor's Couch, then let us know. Take a moment and leave a quick review of this episode or any episode on Apple Podcasts. Your review really does make a difference and they help us know if we are heading in the right direction.

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Have you ever noticed how often we connect our search for purpose with suffering rather than joy? The quest for meaning might be the most profound existential journey we undertake as humans, yet we frequently overlook the whispers of joy that could guide us toward our calling.

This episode challenges the conventional wisdom that purpose must be forged primarily through hardship. While Viktor Frankl's groundbreaking work "Man's Search for Meaning" rightfully acknowledges how suffering can clarify what matters most, we explore how joy serves as an equally powerful compass. When was the last time you felt fully alive, completely present, utterly yourself? Those moments aren't accidents—they're signposts pointing toward alignment with your deepest purpose.

Drawing from both ancient wisdom and modern insights, we unpack a practical four-step framework for discovering purpose: identifying what brings you genuine joy, recognizing your natural gifts and talents, determining who you're uniquely positioned to serve, and creating sustainable practices that keep you connected to your calling. This approach bridges spiritual traditions with contemporary understanding, showing how purpose emerges at the intersection of delight and service to others.

Whether you've been searching for years or are just beginning to ask the big questions about why you're here, this episode offers a refreshing perspective that honors both the wisdom gained through hardship and the guidance available through joy. Your purpose might not be found solely in what you survive, but equally in what you're called to create. Download our special reflection guide with journal prompts and a purpose-mapping exercise to take this exploration deeper, and remember: you were created for joy, on purpose.

Download your copy of the Joy Based Purpose Toolkit.

https://mysites.therapysites.com/0062436/storage/app/media/joy-based-purpose-journal-toolkit.docx

Support the show

Thanks for listening and if you have enjoyed The Counselor's Couch, then let us know. Take a moment and leave a quick review of this episode or any episode on Apple Podcasts. Your review really does make a difference and they help us know if we are heading in the right direction.

You can show your support for the show at: www.buymeacoffee.com/thecounselorscouch

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Comments, questions or topics of interest can be emailed to: thecounselorscouch@gmail.com

Share an episode with a friend or family member and remember "You are not alone and You are of Value".

Let us know you care. Drop a quick text and let us know what you think.

Have you ever had an emotional reaction that seemed way too big for the situation? That feeling when something small triggers an enormous response inside? What you're experiencing might not just be an overreaction—it's an echo from your past.

These echoes arise from moments in childhood when we faced pain without proper support. When we lacked tools to process difficult experiences, we developed coping mechanisms that protected us then but may limit us now.

Many of us try to battle these patterns like demons that need exorcising. We shame ourselves for not being "over it" already. But what if fighting isn't the answer? What if these reactions aren't demons but messengers—a younger version of yourself still seeking safety and understanding? That's where reparenting comes in—the profound practice of showing up for your inner child the way you needed someone to show up for you.

Through approaches like Compassion-Focused Therapy and inner child work, we discover that healing isn't about eliminating these responses but transforming our relationship with them. It's about saying, "I see you, I understand why you're reacting this way, and I'm here now." This isn't indulgence or weakness—it's mature self-leadership that acknowledges all parts of your story.

Remember, you're not failing because old patterns still emerge. You're human. Real healing happens not when these reactions disappear completely, but when they no longer control you—when you can pause, recognize what's happening, and respond with compassion rather than condemnation.

Subscribe now and join our community of self-aware listeners dedicated to growth and healing. Your inner child is waiting for you to listen—perhaps it's time to give them the compassion they've always deserved.

Support the show

Thanks for listening and if you have enjoyed The Counselor's Couch, then let us know. Take a moment and leave a quick review of this episode or any episode on Apple Podcasts. Your review really does make a difference and they help us know if we are heading in the right direction.

You can show your support for the show at: www.buymeacoffee.com/thecounselorscouch

Check us out on Facebook - The Counselor's Couch

Comments, questions or topics of interest can be emailed to: thecounselorscouch@gmail.com

Share an episode with a friend or family member and remember "You are not alone and You are of Value".