"Protector of the core...
Please allow me to give you a tour,
The core is the center and surrounded by beauty,
Many colors and lovely scents, but I have a duty.
My arms are long, tall and filled with thorn,
If I do my job well there will be nothing to mourn,
I hope one day I won't need to be here,
Maybe one day there won't be anything to fear.
Till then I'll be here to defend,
To help my core remain on the mend.
I know the sun and rain are here to help me,
To give me strength, warmth, and allow me to see,
That these threats are not always real,
No matter how much I feel.
So one day I'll leave and never come back,
And maybe then the past won't look so black."
Sometimes after experiencing a bad situation or traumatic event, we are so overwhelmed by our experience that we build walls to protect ourselves from having this harmful experience again. Sometimes these defense mechanisms do in fact protect us from harm, but sometimes they can also prevent us from having good and healing experiences.
In therapy, we acknowledge these defense mechanisms and work to gain a better understanding of why they exist. First, we understand their importance and the benefits of protecting oneself. Then, we acknowledge if these defenses prevent us from having positive interactions with the world. After all, defense and fear go hand in hand. The trouble starts when we become too apprehensive and start using these defense mechanisms to avoid our problems.
By finding new ways to cope, we can begin to move on from the anxiety and distress caused by a bad event.
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