The Room With the Closed Door
Some things are easier to say when the door is shut.
This is the room for the thoughts and feelings you edit, soften or swallow before anyone else hears them.
A feeling is not an action. And a feeling is not a moral failure.
Feeling angry doesn't mean you are cruel. Feeling resentful doesn't mean you don't love someone. Wanting space doesn't mean you're abandoning them. Missing your old life doesn't mean you want their life to be harder.
“I can't do this today” does not automatically mean “I will never do this again.”
Sometimes it simply means: I have reached my limit today.
Carers are often encouraged to manage feelings before they're even given permission to have them.
In this room, you get permission first.
Sometimes the sentence underneath matters too.
Not because we need to tidy up what you're feeling, but because understanding the need underneath it can sometimes help us find a key.
You don't have to open the door yet.
Sometimes naming the thought is enough for today.
You don't have to turn it into a lesson. You don't have to find the positive. You don't have to explain why you feel it.
When you're ready, where might you go next?
The door stays closed until you decide otherwise.
The Lounge
I've said it. Now I think I need someone to sit with me.
Come sit down →The Laundry
Some of what I'm feeling is about everything that has changed.
Go to the laundry →The Basement
This isn't just something I needed to say. I am overwhelmed and I need help finding the light.
We'll start there →The Exit
Maybe one of the things I said in here has shown me what needs to change.
Look for a key →