Do you still feel guilty about things that happened long ago?
This is something I often come across when working as a counsellor and it doesn’t have to be this way. Feeling guilty for things in the past keeps us stuck in a place of having done something wrong, along with the negative self talk and feelings that go with it. When we feel guilty it’s as though we can never get past it.
Guilt as an emotion prompts us to correct something we’ve done wrong and make amends. For example, if we’ve said something hurtful to a loved one, guilt prompts us to apologize and repair the relationship. Often the things we say we still feel guilty about are situations that we have corrected, but we still feel bad about them. So how do we move past this?
By acknowledging the sense of regret that we still feel about the situation.
Regret describes disappointment, remorse or sadness about the situation. Acknowledging and experiencing these feelings can give us a more compassionate view of ourselves, making room for forgiveness and comfort that couldn’t be experienced while we were still stuck in guilt. It’s this compassion for self that can move us beyond guilt to healing the past.
If this is something you would like to explore further with a counsellor contact Breathe Counselling to make an appointment.
Sue French
Breathe Counselling Rockingham
0403171098
