9. Session
“Professor, I thought I was actually very weak. But my son called me and told me: “Mom, you’re so strong, if you’re not okay, we’ll fall apart. Thanks to you, we’re holding up. We really need you. The things you’ve done for us and keep doing is really important. It was good for me to hear these beautiful phrases from friends as well. I thought I was so weak, but I wasn’t really. Now I feel better. I thank everyone”.
- A. Participants were asked to give feedback on what we spoke about last week. How was your week? Have you encountered a difficult situation during the week?
- B. I said in the previous session that the first thing that helps us most for psychological endurance is to recognize our strengths. For this reason, I asked you to note down your strengths to talk about in this week’s session. Then what are your strengths that protect you in the most difficult of times?
- C. You’ve heard each other’s life stories. And now I would like you to tell each other about other’s strengths you’ve seen during the sessions.
- D. Participants were asked how they felt after the comments they made about each other.
- E. They talked about their strengths, which allow them to remain psychologically strong in the face of challenges in life. They were asked to explore what was most often done to relax while dealing with difficult situations until the next session. For this week, they were asked to recognize what they were doing during the day when they were very upset or stressed and write it down.
10. Session
- A. In the previous session, we talked about our strengths and the strengths we saw in other participants. Knowing our strengths also reminds us that when we face a problem, we have the power to deal with it. It is mindfulness that comforts us in the most difficult times, that saves us in knowing what is good, just like knowing our strengths. So, what do you do that comforts you in difficult times?
- B. After listening to the coping ways they used, they talked about coping strategies that could be effective for them. Coping methods for the body and situation were described. The importance of dealing with a difficult situation correctly was mentioned, and the benefits of getting professional support if necessary were emphasized.
- Leaving behind the experiences that stress and make us unhappy, trying not to think about it, does not help us solve the existing problem. Instead, it is more effective to think about its reasons, to give ourselves time to create a healthy action plan, to create a routine that is good for us, and to do it regularly and not lose hope that everything will be fine. At the same time, it is important not to forget relaxing your body. As we learned in the previous session, doing relaxation exercises will help us feel calm and anxiety-free.
- When we ignore the existing problem, not talk about it, pass it off, sometimes our body starts showing the signs. Symptoms such as pain that constantly shifts in the body, fatigue, increased or decreased appetite, excessive drowsiness, or insomnia etc. occur. After experiencing these long-term problems, individuals are unable to enjoy life, and avoid social relationships. In cases where individuals cannot manage the situation alone, it is important to get professional support to improve our quality of life.
- C. For two weeks, we talked about noticing the strengths necessary for psychological endurance and discovering the right methods of coping in difficult times. This week, the participants were asked to write about their characteristics and their weaknesses that they wanted to change.