on crying

I don’t know about you, but I’ve reached that stage in my life when I accept I need an audience when I cry. I phone a friend or husband, I let my daughter see me cry without shame, I let them see I feel better afterwards. I studied crying for my final year research and experimentation project in my psychology degree. It was an earnest epistle advocating we all cry more. It was fascinating listening to people telling me about their varied crying habits and their responses to others’ tears. It’s not something we’re all comfy with, but the older I get the more honoured I feel to be with a person who is crying.

I don’t keep records but I’d say I witness 80-90% of my clients crying at some point. One client wept as soon as she opened her front door, others leak tears or sob as they come across possessions they haven’t seen in years, or as they begin to talk about changes they want to make. I get to experience gratitude, joy and relief tears too. And I’ve been known to mark the last session together with glassy eyes while we marvel at the changes my client has made.

Crying is good. When a client cries sometimes I sit and breathe, other times I ask if they’d like to be held and sometimes I just carry on with what we’re doing – I guess I just do what feels right at the time and check in with them later to ask if there was anything I could have done differently.

When someone has the courage to cry in front of me – a client, a friend, I always leave feeling grateful they could. Crying is Very Good.

Next Blog – On Laughter

Coming soon.