When Joy Feels Like a Threat
Briefly

When Joy Feels Like a Threat
"Joy can feel threatening to people in pain."
"Therapeutic success depends on timing and attunement."
"Resistance is a form of protection, not defiance."
"Small, daily joys can gently rewire the nervous system."
The article emphasizes the importance of timing and attuning to clients' emotional states for successful therapy. It recounts a personal experience where a well-meaning suggestion of joy led to a significant relational failure with a client in crisis. This incident prompted a deeper exploration into the barriers people face in accessing joy, leading to the identification of six 'thieves of joy' that obstruct healing. Ultimately, the piece underscores that small, daily joys can gently rewire the nervous system, contrasting positive psychology's techniques with the nuanced needs of individuals in pain.
Read at Psychology Today
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