Authenticity

Best Advice from Counselor Chip

When folks find out that I am a counselor, sooner or later they will want one piece of sage advice. Here’s what I tell them…

Be yourself. Be who you truly are. Be authentic.

Life is really freaking hard when you are living up to the expectations of someone else or of society at large.

Life is really freaking hard when you are living as a chameleon—ever-changing personalities, stories, lies, etc.—just to fit into the situation… just to be LIKED!

The person you are is not who you REALLY are. You have been living this nightmare for far too long.

It is exhausting. At some point, you will be found out. You’re secrets will be uncovered.

You’re Not a Bad Person!

Friends and family will be shocked and hurt. They will feel betrayed.

You will feel LOST, but…

… I specialize in working with you to find the authentic __________ (insert your name here).

Setting the Stage for Self-Discovery

Finding out who you are involves a lot of work. So, there will be homework.

Finding out who you are may involve finding out who you are NOT.

Finding out how you became who you are will involve investigating who you have been along the way.

Deconstructing Your Inauthentic Self

What are the stories you told yourself and what stories did you tell others?

This is often the most interesting aspect of finding out who you are.

It may be embarrassing, but get over yourself. It is worth the blood, sweat, and tears.

Trust me, I’ve done it; I am unchained.

Who are your true fans?

We will work on gaining back the trust of friends and a family. We will renew your “circle of trust.”

When you have a flat tire at 2am, these will be the folks who will help you in person or by calling someone to help you.

Who do you really WANT to be?

That’s right. Counseling is also about transformation.

This step is about taking your authentic self and becoming who you want to be.

Counseling Gives You the Tools

You are more likely to be successful now than ever before… because you are starting from your natural, authentic self.

Plus, don’t forget, you will have a fan base cheering you on to greater things… so, you can bet on your success!

They say you may not get what you want but, if you try real hard, you’ll get what you need: a new you, a real you, and a real outlook on life.