To Fear and Back

When I read the title, it reminds me of that song by Drs. Spee: Heen en weer (“Back and Forth”). And that’s how it goes. Emotions are like waves, always in motion. Fear is no different. It can arise suddenly or build up slowly. How do you learn to recognize it in yourself? Do you notice the warning signs on the way to fear? And when you’re fully immersed in it, how do you find your way back?

This is the theme of this therapy session. In previous sessions, we have spent considerable time exploring fear itself—what it does to you physically, what happens in your thoughts, how it manifests, and its character. We also looked extensively at what stands opposite it. For some, that may be hope; for others, God’s love, joy, or peace… All of this information is now being integrated into the journey to fear and back.

What warning signs do you encounter along the way? And do you heed them—or rush past them?

Everyone navigates this path in their own way, and that is wonderful! The result is a kind of lifeline. What can I do when I realize I’m already halfway down the road to fear?

The most important thing: pause!
Because if you don’t pause, you won’t notice what’s happening inside.
Or, as some people put it: keep breathing.

On the right, you see a photo of someone who, during the debrief, recognizes all sorts of things they hadn’t initially thought of themselves.
And that is a beautiful strength of group therapy!