When I was buying my first house, my realtor probably thought I was crazy! The kitchen had a monkey and jungle theme hand painted all over the walls. But it was the perfect house! I was able to overlook the monkeys, and see exactly what the house would look like after it was re-decorated. Nothing a good coat of paint (or three) and some hard work couldn’t fix! I use that example a lot with my clients when they first come to counseling (thanks to my friend, who pointed it out to me!), and many times during the course of their growth process. So often, people come into counseling able to see the things they don’t like about their marriage or life, but they can’t really visualize what they want their life to look like without the “monkeys”. I am constantly asking my clients “What would it LOOK like to be healthier/happier/closer to your spouse”? How would you KNOW when you didn’t need to come to counseling any more? Being able to visualize what your relationship or life would be like without the “monkeys” is imperative to getting healthier! And the monkeys don’t go away without quite a bit of hard work. Get out a piece of paper and make list of what your life would be like… monkey free! The kitchen turned out beautifully, by the way…

Joleen Watson, MS, NCC, is a therapist at Imagine Hope Counseling Group. She enjoys doing marriage counseling, relationship counseling, couples counseling, and individual counseling.  Imagine Hope also specializes in family, child and adolescent counseling and serves Indianapolis area including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Noblesville, Zionsville, Westfield, and Fishers.