“Sorry, I feel like I am just venting.”

This line was said to me in a recent session, and I want to take a moment to address what this means when a client says they are needing to vent. How I responded to this client was, “you know pressure cookers? What happens inside a pressure cooker if the vent gets locked in place?” The client kind of had an “ah-ha” moment and realized that venting can be okay. Sure, sometimes we want solutions and we want to positively reframe things, but sometimes, just venting, aka verbal processing, is good for us too. If we try to keep everything inside all of the time, so that we are not a burden to others, eventually we will explode (i.e. engage in some behaviors that are maladaptive).

So yes, there is room for “venting” in therapy.

Another thing to consider in this situation is the need to apologize for taking up space. How often might you apologize to a friend when you talk about something that is bugging you? We can explore that knee-jerk reaction and also look at the metaphor of taking up space in other aspects of your life. Do you feel like your body takes up too much space? Do you feel like your personality is too much? Taking up space can come in many forms, but I can assure you that in therapy with me, you are never too much, and there is no need to apologize.

Reach out if you need a space to come as you are, show up authentically (I know it can be scary) and learn how to feel confident in the many ways we can take up space.

Until next time,

Alexis