Externalising the internal

Externalising the internal or ‘better out than in’.

If you have any current or historical distress swirling around your body, there’s every chance that it’s toxic and is harming you in some way. So, getting it out of your system is one of the main aims of any recovery plan.

While counsellors may not fully understand the science behind it, they have seen huge benefits when their clients say things out aloud rather than merely thinking or feeling them. Thinking on its own keeps thoughts contained within the mind, with nowhere to go but round and round. Speaking the thoughts aloud seems to break the cycle in some way. Saying something aloud can also:

• Give you the chance to truly hear what you’re thinking
• Help you understand what you’re trying to say
• Allow you to assess how accurate your spoken thought is, or if it’s a falsehood, an avoidance, a denial, etc.
• Help you to get in touch with your feelings
• Help you to unburden, unload or release your mental/emotional load
• Give you a sense of empowerment
• Reduce how overwhelmed you feel

NB. When we talk about externalising stuff, we don’t just mean speaking something out loud. It could be that writing your thoughts and emotions down is just as effective for you. Or perhaps drawing, painting, sculpting, singing, creating music, movement or dancing are more expressive and appropriate.