Grace While Growing: How to Care for Yourself While in Therapy

Therapy is often seen as a place of healing, a space to voice the unspeakable and mend what feels broken. It’s viewed as safe, secure, supportive. And while therapy is all of these things, it’s also something else: deeply challenging.

That’s not meant to scare you or make you question the journey, it is absolutely worth it. But I wish I could go back in time and tell every client I worked with, especially early on, how important it is to care for themselves outside of therapy.

When you open yourself to vulnerability, it can inspire more vulnerability, healing and connection, beautifully so. I see it happen often in all kinds of relationships.

But do you notice it in your relationship with yourself?

You may find yourself frustrated with how much you’re feeling. You may wish you could just say what you need to say, without crying. But these reactions are not wrong. They’re not flaws. They’re part of the process.

Therapy is, first, a severing from what’s no longer working. Then, it becomes an invitation, an open curiosity, about what you do need.

So what does it mean when we say “hold space” for yourself? Or “honor your needs”? These can feel like abstract phrases. But let’s explore them.

To “honor” means to hold in high respect, to esteem. It comes from the Latin word honos, dignity, grace. When we honor our mental health, we’re really offering it grace. Yet too often, we struggle to offer that grace to ourselves. We can be harsh, critical, and unforgiving.

If you’re not in a place to offer yourself esteem, then go deeper. Offer yourself grace.

That’s my hope, and my invitation, for anyone who reads this. If you are in therapy, or if you're just beginning, remember this:

Offer yourself grace.

You will want to turn back sometimes. Please don’t.Healing is near when you begin.Healing is hard when you begin.

But don’t shut your feelings off. Don’t retreat. Be kind to yourself. Let your vulnerability inspire more vulnerability. Share what you need with those who are safe. Ask for help. Accept it, with grace, when it is given.

You’ve got this. Keep going.

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Becca Bowers, PLPC

About the Author: Becca Bowers is a counselor at The Authenticity Center. As an EMDR trained therapist, Becca integrates trauma-informed care, somatic work, and body image healing to create a safe and supportive space for growth.