A Client’s Success Story by Eunsil Kim, Licensed Professional Counselor
When Liz came to counseling, it felt as though her world was falling apart. She had always been someone who met challenges head-on and prided herself on her independence. Once a confident, world-traveling professional, Liz now found herself consumed by panic and exhaustion—and burdened by shame for needing help at all. Anxiety had begun to suffocate her joy, hope, and sense of purpose.
Through gentle, trauma-informed counseling, Liz came to understand that her sudden surge of anxiety wasn’t a sign of weakness, but her body’s long-delayed response to years of life-threatening stress—now intensified by recent life changes. As we explored her story, Liz developed self-compassion and began to see how deeply rooted, trauma-based beliefs had driven her hypervigilance and fear of taking risk.
Over time, she practiced reframing negative thoughts and mindfully accepting what she couldn’t control. Her confidence slowly returned. Panic and anxiety receded. And Liz began to live again—choosing connection and curiosity over fear.
Honoring the Strengths That Kept Her Safe
The very strengths that help us survive difficult seasons can, in time, become the very barriers that keep us from healing.
When Liz began counseling, she was bewildered by unfamiliar symptoms—debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, and even physical pain—at a time when life seemed to be going well. A new adventure overseas, a thriving career, and a loving partner should have been sources of joy. Instead, Liz found herself overwhelmed by loneliness, depression, and shame over her sudden inability to cope.
In our early sessions, Liz tearfully shared how she “finally felt seen” in her disorienting experience as a foreigner and her deep longing to belong. Yet when she spoke about earlier traumas from her home country, her tone shifted—her voice flattening, her emotions receding. Together, we discovered how, in order to survive in an environment where danger was constant and vulnerability was viewed as weakness, she had learned to stay strong, composed, and emotionally detached.
Her body and brain had equated vigilance with safety. But now, in this new and safer chapter of life, those same protective patterns—hypervigilance and emotional numbing—were keeping her from the connection and freedom she deeply desired.
As counseling continued, Liz began to recognize her past experiences for what they were, trauma. And in doing so, she learned to honor the remarkable inner strength that had once kept her safe—while gently allowing herself to grow beyond it.
New Tools for a New Season
As Liz’s awareness deepened, she began to cultivate new strengths—vulnerability, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Through counseling, she learned to challenge her core beliefs, reframing the old narratives that equated safety with control and openness with danger. She practiced slowing down, noticing her feelings without judgment, and reframing self-critical thoughts. By learning to express her needs openly and ask for help, Liz experienced the power of authentic connection and began to feel more supported than ever before.
Gradually, Liz began saying yes to life again. She reconnected with friends, pursued adventures she had long avoided, and practiced mindful acceptance of what was beyond her control. She started keeping a daily gratitude journal, noticing how each reflection of appreciation seemed to widen her capacity for joy.
With time, her anxiety eased, her confidence grew, and her relationships deepened. Liz discovered that emotional openness was not a sign of weakness—it made her more whole.
Letting Go to Stop for the Flowers
“I’m noticing the flowers on my bike rides for the first time in my life,” Liz shared during one of our final sessions.
That simple statement captured the heart of her transformation: the shift from surviving to truly living. Liz’s journey reminds us that healing is not about erasing the past, it’s about by honoring it, learning from it, and allowing ourselves to grow beyond it. With courage, insight, and mindful self-compassion, we can all rediscover the joy of simply being-and start noticing the flowers along the way.
A Note for You
If Liz’s story resonates with you—if you, too, find yourself exhausted by “being strong” for too long—know that healing is possible.
Through trauma-informed counseling, you can learn to honor your resilience while building new tools for this season of life.
