What’s a Conscious Conversation?

“Consciousness is our gateway to experience: It enables us to recognize Van Gogh’s starry skies, be enraptured by Beethoven’s Fifth, and stand in awe of a snowcapped mountain. Yet consciousness is subjective, personal, and famously difficult to examine.”

– Dr. Daniel Bor, Ph.D

Hello again, 

We’re glad to have you back. We need to talk.

Everyone hates that statement. The unknown-ness of it. The questions, the guessing, the ruminating. We start nit-picking at every behavior we’ve ever remembered having. It’s unfortunate that most of the time we end up assuming that we’ve done something wrong when there’s so many things we can talk about. It doesn’t have to be scary, but oftentimes it is, because in what other context is the need to talk about something so important? When else do we have someone specifically expressing the need for communication, and not just outright communicating? Here, we’re trying to do both. Not only do we need to talk, but we’re going to. You have the choice to decide if you want to stick around for it or not.

So, hey, we need to talk, but it’s not about anything you specifically did wrong. We, collectively, need to talk about generational trauma, and repairing unconscious behaviors so we don’t keep hurting others. We need to talk about justice, fairness, and equality. We need to talk about our emotions, the giddy and the gritty ones. We need to talk about boundaries and space and how to cope when things get just too much. We need to talk about Bruno*.

This is what Conscious Conversations is all about: taking the time to reflect on the things we unconsciously navigate through everyday. It’s exhausting, and it’s even more exhausting when we don’t have the skills or the support to effectively avoid burnout and stress. We’re resilient, but we’re starting to learn that we don’t always have to be. Not forever. 

Though this conversation may feel one sided at times, it isn’t meant to be – we want there to be a dialogue, even if not just with us. We’re hoping that in starting the conversation, it gives the opportunity (and skills) for others to finish it. We intend for this conversation to expand beyond just these blog entries and this website. 

Our plan moving forward in this blog is to bring a multitude of ideas, concepts, and information into our active awareness. Things we may or may not have considered in other contexts. Things that may be difficult to hear or consider but are necessary for moving through our experiences and histories. Things that help us know ourselves and others better. Things that therapists may know and understand, but our clients may not. 

Here’s what you have to look forward to in upcoming blogs. Themes may change, but the purpose will not:

• Book (and movie) suggestions and reviews, on a variety of topics, but mostly with a focus on self-guidance and self-understanding.
• Psycho-education, resources, and events.
• Journaling prompts, topics for personal growth, and self-care tips.
• Conversations on current events, particularly events that affect our mental health.
• Updates at Wise Mind (new therapists, new group therapy opportunities, and events we’re involved in).

If you want to read more about this work, follow our blog. If you’re ready to do this work, email contact@wisemindpsychology.org to get started. 

*https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/restoring-families/talk-about-bruno/