Dealing With Feelings of Guilt – It is likely that everyone has experienced some measure of guilt at some point in their lives. You can feel guilty for something that you did, for something that you failed to do, or for an effect that you had on another person. Feeling as though you are responsible for something negative that happened can be an uncomfortable weight to bear, and severe feelings of guilt that you can’t seem to resolve can have significant impacts on your overall mental health. Counselling is one of the ways that you can begin to lessen this load, as it provides a chance for you to explore your feelings, confront your guilt, and get closure for unresolved feelings of guilt. Horizon Plymouth counsellors provide a safe place for this process, guided by one of our qualified counsellors.
Ways to deal with guilt
The burden of guilt is a difficult one to bear and dealing with it might seem like an insurmountable task at times. However, there are certain strategies that the counsellors at Horizon Plymouth often recommend to our clients struggling with guilt.
- Acknowledge your feelings: Take the time to really think about the event or circumstances that caused these feelings. It might help to write down the exact incident that triggered your feelings of guilt, or the steps leading up to the incident if you cannot pinpoint the exact cause. This can be a good starting point when it comes to reflecting on your feelings in order to alleviate your guilt.
- Acknowledge your role in the situation: Just like understanding how you feel about the situation is a crucial step in letting go of guilt, so too is understanding the role that you played in the situation. Consider exactly what the circumstances are that led to your guilt and identify any actions you took or failed to take within that situation.
- Avoid rehashing the situation with those involved: When dealing with guilt, it is best to explore your feelings with an unbiased third party, such as a qualified counsellor, rather than someone who is also emotionally invested in the situation. This allows you to truly dive into your emotions rather than being influenced by the emotions and strong opinions of another individual.
- Make amends if possible: Not every situation involving guilt can be remedied. Sometimes there is nothing to be done or the other party simply won’t hear you out. However, in cases where you feel there is unsolved business or a potential action, taking steps to make amends can go a long way towards helping you deal with feelings of guilt.
One of the most important things to remember when dealing with guilt is that you cannot change the past or the things that have already happened, but you can make amends for your mistakes and use circumstances as a chance to grow. Making these changes is an incredibly difficult process that involves immense amounts of self-reflection and self-discovery, which is why working with the assistance of a counsellor can help you on this journey. If you are currently struggling with guilt, it might seem as though finding peace is an impossible task but reaching out for the assistance of a professional can help you make great strides towards personal growth and mental health promotion.
If you or someone you know is burdened with feelings of guilt that are impacting your mental health in a negative way, counselling can be an option to help you to begin to relieve the burden. Contact one of the qualified counsellors at Horizon Plymouth today to schedule an initial consultation and get started on your journey of dealing with your guilt and improving mental health today.