Increasing numbers of Irish adults now seek professional support to address challenges such as anxiety, balancing the demands of a job with one’s personal life or the ups and downs of relationships and family. Significant life transitions—such as changing careers, moving house, the end of a relationship or even the uncertainty that exists in the wider world today, can prompt people to seek clarity and attempt to build stronger emotional resilience. I believe that the reason for this may be a combination of the seemingly faster and more demanding pace of life in the world we now inhabit coupled with a greater acceptance of the importance of positive mental health.
We all deal with things differently. Our life experiences are unique and so our capacity for resilience will vary according to the protective or risk factors we have encountered along the way. We believe that it is ok to be curious about why we are frustrated or unfulfilled at work, why we people please in the presence of certain personality types or why we get a stab of anxiety at the thought of a school reunion. We have also come to realise that we can work on all these things and become more comfortable in who we are.