by Allison Grubbs, LCSW, LCAS, CDWF-Candidate
“Me too.” Two of the most powerful words we can hear. You know the experience of sharing an “I thought it was just me” moment or thought… then the other person says, “yeah, me too!”
It’s a feeling of relief — that someone gets it, that you’re not alone, that you’re not crazy. It’s in those moments I’ve built and earned the most trust with another person.
The “me too” experience is just one benefit to group counseling (group work). It’s something we can’t get from individual counseling. It can be scary, but it is definitely worth it.
I personally love group work. I’ve facilitated groups, and I’ve been a part of groups. I co-facilitated a Daring Way™ Retreat…think weekend-long group session, as well as an 8-session weekly group.
Taking this a step further, I’ve had a vision of an ongoing group, for people to attend when they want (hopefully regularly), which offers a safe, non-judgmental place for a “me-too” connection to occur.
For me, Brene’ Brown’s work hasn’t been just about her curriculums and the worksheets. It’s about how I look at my relationship with myself and with others. The concepts of vulnerability, trust, and self-worth don’t happen in a vacuum. We need each other for this work. I also know sharing personal thoughts and struggles with people you don’t know very well can be a bit terrifying.
Yet, if we’re able to do this, to experience the connection that comes from building trust in a healthy way, to be seen as who we are and sit with others in their vulnerability, the benefits impact all aspects of our lives.
So, on a daily basis, how do I practice vulnerability, courage, and shame resilience? I show up. I have days when that means getting out of bed, brushing my teeth, and asking myself…what’s the next right thing? Then I do that.
I also have days when showing up might be feeling my real emotions, the good ones and the hard ones. Showing up is messing up, over and over again, then trying again. The point of this work isn’t to be perfect or to have a perfect life. It’s to help us get through this messy, complex life with our imperfect selves.
We aren’t alone. We need each other. Let’s show up together.
