Inspiration from a mother pig

Today I had a request from a toddler to see some 'piggies'. I wracked my brains and remembered a place to visit. As we visited the animals, he was drawn to the mother pig and her four piglets, the volume of his voice quietened to ensure that the animals maintained their right for an unbroken sleep.

This made me reflect on our basic needs all being wrapped up in the vision we were enjoying. A mother pig and her piglets, sleeping soundly with a heat lamp, warm hay to sleep on, food available to mum as she naturally fed her babies. Food, warmth, water and a roof over their head, the basic needs of animals and humans: all encompassed in love.

Unfortunately, life circumstances may result in people not having these needs being met, this can have an impact on all areas of the individuals lives. This may happen purposefully through neglect or abuse but many find that life experiences, bereavement, redundancy, war and many more result in basic needs being unmet. Everybody is impacted in their own ways depending on their own coping mechanisms and support networks around them.

For many, they become stuck in a cycle of uncertainty even when circumstances change, it is then that talking to somebody is beneficial. I for one, have been in this situation and am thankful for having access to a counsellor who promoted a positive therapeutic relationship. This is my aim as a counsellor. A relationship where both client and counsellor are respected as equals, accepted for who they are and boundaries are set and maintained promoting trust and understanding that confidentiality is vital. This is my aim as a counsellor to ensure that all clients receive quality care and develops a deeper understanding of self, developing coping strategies for those difficult moments in life.