Mental Healthcare
We all have little "g" guilt and big "G" guilt present with us throughout life.
Everyone's relationship with guilt is different, but one thing unites us all: if we allow it to control us, guilt can wreak havoc on our mental health and self-esteem.
How do you de-weaponize guilt so that it no longer holds power over you? Like any other emotion, we can choose to view guilt as a guide rather than a source of distress.
Guilt often arises when we take actions that are not aligned with our values. To that end, we can analyze our feelings of guilt to learn more about ourselves, what we need, and what we find important.
Our therapist Ashley Gregory LMFT offers the following framework for examining guilt and allowing it to guide our actions:
✨ AWARENESS
Notice how and where you sense feelings of guilt in your body. What happens when you focus your attention on these sensations?
✨ STORIES
Pay attention to the thoughts that arise when you feel guilty. What are the stories being told about you in your mind?
✨ NEEDS & VALUES
Get to know the needs behind your guilty thoughts. How might this need guide you? What does this feeling say about your values?
✨ EVENTS
Ask yourself how external events are shaping your perception. Invite more clarity and compassion towards yourself, and move forward knowing what is important to you.
To learn more about using guilt as a guide, check out Ashley's blog post.
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