As a therapist I spend a lot of time working with people who have challenges to their thought process. These challenges promote and support their depression and anxiety. Recently I had the joy of hearing how a client who attended one of my support groups overcame his fear of flying. He had expressed his anxiety over an upcoming flight that he had to take and was asking his group members for ideas on how he could endure the 1 hour flight given his heightened anxiety. Several group members reminded him of some tools that we had focused on over time. He then turned to me and wanted to know if there was anything else that could help him. I suggested he engage in visualization. This group member was a devout Christian and stated that he attended church on Sunday. The service was an hour, and though it produced some degree of anxiety for him to sit confined for that hour, he was able to endure and even enjoy it. I suggested he visualize instead of being on the plane for an hour; that he was in his church service for an hour. We had not done a lot of work on visualization as a group and I didn’t go into a lot of specifics with him, but off he went with that idea.
The next time the group met, his other group members and I were all curious to know how he made out on his trip. What he said was so delightful and insightful I promised to share it with others. Here is his answer to our question about his anxiety about the flight.
“Well, I took your advice and visualized that instead of boarding a plane, I was going to church. I was met in the vestibule by some charming ladies who directed me to my seat. The pews were three seats on one side and three on the other side. After all were seated we saw the pastor and co-pastor who made brief appearances and welcomed us. They then went behind a blue curtain, but we continued to hear their voices as they conducted the service. Communion was served shortly after. Some of the members fell asleep, and others like myself were attentive. The experience was uplifting, and when it landed I was in a better place than I had been when I first entered.”
Needless to say the group and I were fascinated by the way he interpreted the advice to “visualize” going to church. He stated that he kept his mind occupied the whole flight by looking for analogies between flying and going to service. He was mentally challenged and enjoyed himself in the process so much that he didn’t notice his anxiety. As a therapist we often teach our client’s tools to help them overcome challenges in their life, it’s always a delight when a client moves beyond what you have said and improves on it. The mind is a powerful tool that God has given us and I believe that he also delights in it when we use it in creative and helpful ways, both for ourselves and to help others.
Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever this are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, think on these things.
The next time the group met, his other group members and I were all curious to know how he made out on his trip. What he said was so delightful and insightful I promised to share it with others. Here is his answer to our question about his anxiety about the flight.
“Well, I took your advice and visualized that instead of boarding a plane, I was going to church. I was met in the vestibule by some charming ladies who directed me to my seat. The pews were three seats on one side and three on the other side. After all were seated we saw the pastor and co-pastor who made brief appearances and welcomed us. They then went behind a blue curtain, but we continued to hear their voices as they conducted the service. Communion was served shortly after. Some of the members fell asleep, and others like myself were attentive. The experience was uplifting, and when it landed I was in a better place than I had been when I first entered.”
Needless to say the group and I were fascinated by the way he interpreted the advice to “visualize” going to church. He stated that he kept his mind occupied the whole flight by looking for analogies between flying and going to service. He was mentally challenged and enjoyed himself in the process so much that he didn’t notice his anxiety. As a therapist we often teach our client’s tools to help them overcome challenges in their life, it’s always a delight when a client moves beyond what you have said and improves on it. The mind is a powerful tool that God has given us and I believe that he also delights in it when we use it in creative and helpful ways, both for ourselves and to help others.
Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever this are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, think on these things.
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