• Home
  • About
    • Justin Runquist, MSW
    • Kevin Barrett, LCSW
    • Kaitlin Thompson, LCSW, CADC
    • Kathryn Kelly Carroll, LCSW
    • Luke Clohisy, MSW, LSW
    • Lb Barry, MSW
  • Specialties
  • Getting Started
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Appointment Request
    • Fees & Insurance
  • Groups
  • Contact


Freestone Psychotherapy | Chicago, IL

GET IN TOUCH.

Audio Therapy: “The Only Thing”

January 8, 2018 by Kevin

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Sufjan_Stevens_%28243114176%29.jpg

Music often touches us deeply – helping us access emotions and longings that lie just below the surface. Certain songs or albums can scratch an emotional itch in a way that few things can, and finding a song that matches what you’re feeling is a great way to “lean into” emotions.

Carl Jung said that “what you resist will persist” and embracing difficult emotions rather than finding distractions can carry you through a difficult feeling sooner than resisting that feeling. Anxiety is sometimes the result of not allowing a difficult emotion to come to the surface. An emotion fully felt may only last minutes, but anxiety may stay with you all day.

I sometimes want to prescribe songs for patients when I sense it would be helpful to feel something below the surface that needs to be felt in a deeper way.

This song, The Only Thing, from Sufjan Steven’s album “Carrie and Lowell” captures the pain of losing someone and the complicated feelings toward someone that meant the world to you. Grief, love, regret, abandonment, despair, awe, wonder, loneliness. It’s all there.

 

Filed Under: Kevin

Freestone Psychotherapy


4619 N Ravenswood, Suite 303C
Chicago, IL 60640

(312) 834-7778
info@freestonepsychotherapy.com

verifiedbypsychtoday

Send a Message

Privacy Policy
A Bright Site by Brighter Vision