Discovering transitional objects during challenging life seasons

Originally coined by Winnicot (1951) the use of a transitional object was observed in childhood development where children would often use a soft blanket or a toy as an object of self-comfort when in distress.

It is also a term and practice that is relevant as we navigate challenging life seasons. A transitional object symbolizes psychological comfort and strength during challenging and transitional periods in one’s life. It is an object that is associated with positivity, courage and often triggers a sense of hope and mastery within us.

Examples of transitional objects are diverse and can include pictures, places, special books etc. It could also be special items that you bought for yourself that remind you of moments of serenity and peace in your life.

Discover and use your transitional object through asking yourself these questions:

1. Do you have a childhood item that you have kept that symbolizes psychological comfort and strength?

2. Any special gifts that you may have received from special people who inspired courage and strength?

3. Could there be a particular place or space that used to provide a psychological strength and comfort for you that you could still visit?

4. Do you have pictures of people, places that you have visited that provided you with a sense of peace, hope and mastery?

Place your transitional object within reach as a reminder and source of psychological comfort and strength as you navigate challenging life seasons.

Comments

Part 2 of Stress Management: Beyond Self-Awareness

When you are aware of how stress affects your thoughts, emotions and behaviors then you are better positioned to manage it. Stress management is also a journey where you learn to manage your life through self-training. In the process be patient with yourself. Below are a few points to consider as you learn to manage your stress: 1. Thought management: We are all wired to think, therefore thinking is a very normal and an important process in our brains. However a challenge happens when we overthink, over-interpret, generalize and personalize situations. This tendency can negatively affect our emotions and behaviors and it can increase our stress levels. Therefore learning to discern and manage our thoughts is important in stress management. Overthinking can be resolved by distracting yourself through engaging in healthy behaviors i.e. writing down your thoughts for a few minutes and closing the diary and engaging in something else, with plans to go back to the diary and writing at ...

The impact of Stigma on people

Stigma is when we blame, judge, prejudice and discriminate people because of characteristics that they have or situations that they are going through. People are often stigmatised for situations that they already find challenging to deal with and sometimes it is situations they cannot change or have temporarily lost control over (i.e. mental health diagnosis like depression, diagnosis of HIV and people living with disabilities). So when we stigmatise people we place an extra burden on their already difficult journey. The following points highlight the impact of stigma on people. 1. Impact on mental health Stigma results in feelings of isolation, rejection and guilt for people and it can contribute to the development or worsening of mental health challenges like depression and anxiety. 2. Obstacle in help-seeking When we stigmatise people, it becomes more challenging for them to openly seek help because they fear judgement. As a result they either do not seek help at all or i...

Notes on Self Management: Few Ideas for Women’s Network

Why is self management important? Self management is important because it has an impact on our personal growth and reputation as it also influences how we are perceived. It is also a broad concept that is reflected in how we manage the different aspects of our lives for example Time, Finances, Relationships, Wellness, Careers, Spiritually etc. What sustains self management? 1. Constant and ongoing review of how you are doing in the different areas of your life. I sometimes use a self-rating scale: For example let’s look at your financial management currently; on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being poor, 3 average and 5 being excellent. Where would you rate your financial management? 2. Understand the behaviors that are contributing to your current self-rating. If for example you rated yourself as 2 (close to poor) Ask why? It could be there is no budget in place or even if there is a budget, maybe it is not adhered to. 3. Set goals to improve your ratings in the different ...

Dr Sibu Qhogwana

Search This Blog