– On Therapy: Nashville Psychotherapy

Last Updated on July 3, 2023 by Chris Roberts

References “Salt. 2013. Nayyirah Waheed”

 

This poem covers it all: grief, pain, heartache, forgiveness, persistence, and coalescence.  And in many ways is summarizing the experience of life.  With the hope, in the end, that everything can be experienced as an unfolding of love.

 

The hard season

will

split you through.

do not worry.

you will bleed water.

do not worry.

this is grief.

your face will fall out and down your skin

and

there will be scorching.

but do not worry.

keep speaking the years from their hiding places.

keep coughing up smoke from all the deaths you

have died.

keep the rage tender

because the soft season will come.

it will come.

loud.

ready.

gulping.

both hands in your chest.

up all night.

up all of the nights.

to drink all damage into love.

 

—therapy

 

I heard someone say recently that art appears to just be a luxury…until you are suffering, or until you are rejoicing.  And then, art (i.e poetry, music, film) becomes a necessity.  It’s during those powerful moments of our lives that we need the words, or the sounds, or the cinema of another person who can put into words the extreme feelings we are experiencing.  Therapy can also be a place where we feel comforted by the understanding of another.

 

If you are feeling overwhelmed, or stuck,  struggling to feel connected to those you love, therapy can be a helpful to process these experiences.  Chris Roberts is a licensed mental health therapist with over 14 years helping those in the Nashville, Tennessee area.  Chris can be reached at (615) 800-9260, or chris@nashvillecounselor.net.