The Significance of Safe Spaces

A therapeutic relationship with a counselor helps you navigate through difficult situations, instill hope in the darkest moments, and empower you to move forward into a new reality. 

  Have you ever had someone ask, “What’s there to be afraid of?”  You may wonder if that person is living in a parallel universe or, worse yet, if you’re losing your mind.  The truth is, we live in a world that creates a lot of fear.  People leave us, our body fails us, our children break our heart, a friend alienates us; these moments impact each of us in different ways. 

How you recover from these moments is dependent on a number of circumstances.  Do you have a strong support network in place?  Have you had to overcome other experiences that revealed your strength?  Are you confident in who you are so that the presenting situation does not alter your sense of self?


Safety always aids in the recovery process.  A sense of safety can come from within and be perceived as courage or a confidence that may be born out of resiliency.  It can also be derived from a space.  A space where you can openly discuss your fears; a place that allows you to recover at your own speed; a space where you are free to share the dark thoughts that keep you awake while you move, albeit slowly, toward healing.

In counseling, a safe space incorporates all of the above, as well as a safe person who can take the journey with you to open your mind to new ideas, allowing you to explore new revelations that put you back on solid ground.

Some people feel they can handle the difficult road alone.  This is an option, but for many, it’s not the best option.

“When we are feeling completely relaxed and confident, the mind is open to new ideas, we brainstorm strategies and handle obstacles without needing a sounding board.” explains Leslie Marshall, DCG’s Chief Operating Officer..

She adds, “However, when under duress, the brain is not going to function at its optimal level.  And in the face of ongoing stress or long term suffering, the impact can be detrimental to an individual’s logic, memory and thought processing, potentially causing long-term mental health conditions and making the road to recovery and healing much more complicated.”

The therapeutic relationship with a counselor is designed to help you navigate through the heavy emotions, instill hope in the darkest moments, and empower you to move forward into a new reality.  The listening ear of an empathic counselor should provide comfort and restore the soul. 

Marshall states, “We are here to help you think clearly while you’re feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.  We hope to provide a place where all emotions are welcomed and accepted; where there is no condemnation or judgment.”

Directions Counseling Group opened in 1993 to provide that necessary safe space for those who are weary and heavy burdened.   This private practice has 15 professional counselors and offers treatment for common mental health disorders such as chronic depression and/or anxiety, as well as specialized treatment for trauma and/or abuse survivors or those seeking addiction recovery.  Call 614-888-9200 to learn more.