A bridge takes us from one place to another, with more ease. If this basic wooden bridge wasn’t there I would either have to leap and hope for the best (probably not a good idea for me!) or scramble down and up a steep bank getting my feet wet in the process. This way takes more effort and time. I might be in two minds as the whether it’s worth the effort, leaving me stuck where I was.

This situation reminds me of life, where we can find ourselves stuck and unable to move forwards because leaping over the obstacle holding us back seems too risky and we don’t know if we can do it and survive. Maybe life feels like we are stuck in a ditch, or we are slowly sliding down into one, clinging on with all our might. Or maybe we’re worried when we get to the other side, what will we do then? Is it really worth the effort?

How to build your bridge

Getting support from other people may help you build your own bridge. Counselling may be the hand that helps you climb up the steep bank when you’ve been stuck in a ditch. Counselling can also be like a bridge, or at least provide a handrail to steady you as you make the crossing if your bridge feels a bit wobbly!

Working with a counsellor may also show you the way to where other bridges can be found that were hidden from view. Counselling can help map the terrain of where you find yourself and what the other side could be like once you get there. So you can make a good decision whether to cross or not. Counselling can help you to practice leaping in a safe environment, helping you to trust your capabilities as you grow stronger.

Do you have a favourite bridge; real or metaphorical? If you would like, let me know below.

One of my favourite bridges is the old Severn Bridge, gateway to the magical Welsh countryside. 😊