A listening friend and writing therapy

Writer:

Zenub Babur Butt

As a mental health practitioner, I have always been apprehensive about sharing my experiences with Seasonal Affective Depression (SAD) openly. However, I gathered the courage to pick up my phone and message her: “I need to speak. Please let me know if this is a good time.” In the blink of an eye, she responded, and we ended up having a heart-to-heart conversation.

Her immense patience with my ramblings calmed me, and I found myself opening up about my personal experience of meditating to a high-frequency vibration for chakra awakening, as well as the unusual occurrences that followed.

With her characteristic gentleness, she reminded me about the SAD season and how I might be slipping into it. She also spoke about the possibility of my pineal gland awakening due to the high-frequency meditations I had been practicing.

I felt so comfortable speaking with her that I kept sharing more and more about the visions I was experiencing. She astutely pointed out how my chanting of a particular name of Allah might be bringing subconscious visions to the surface.

In South Asia, conversations like these often aren’t given much space, as topics around spirituality, quantum healing, and mental health can be seen as taboo. However, discussing these with her has always been a safe and trusted avenue for me.

She gave me a generous 40 minutes of her time, patiently listening while I vented, despite the fact that she hadn’t yet had her breakfast—we were in different time zones. She gently encouraged me to write down my thoughts and channel my feelings—something I often prescribe to my own patients as journaling. I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at her clever way of turning the tables and giving me a taste of my own medicine. And, to my surprise, it worked just as effectively for me as it does for my patients.

This experience has reminded me how vital it is to talk to someone when feeling anxious and how equally important it is to lend a patient ear to a friend in need. Addressing mental health concerns in their initial stages can prevent them from escalating into something more severe.

This is a humble note of gratitude to a friend in need, who is truly a friend indeed—my very own Dr. Shireen. Thank you for being there. Love and light,
Z.

A listening friend and writing therapy“ ایک تبصرہ

  1. بہت زبردست اور پر اثر تھراپی ہے میں اتنی با معنی تحریر کے لئے تہ دل سے شکر گزار ہوں واقعی ہمیں کبھی دل کی بات سننے والا کوئی مل جائے تو ساری زہنی تکان دور ہو جاتی ہے
    سب سے بڑی بات یہ ہے کہ ہم لوگ کئی زہنی مسائل کی شدت سے بچ جاتے ہیں ڈاکٹر زینب کا بہت شکریہ

اپنا تبصرہ لکھیں