Maureen Donley offers individual counseling in Santa Monica. Here is a great individual counseling article on the power of quiet. If you haven’t heard about the new book Quiet by Susan Cain I encourage you to click on the link below and spend twenty very worthwhile minutes listening and watching her most recent TED talk
In it she argues that in our relentless cultural elevation of branding and selling we are robbing ourselves of the gigantic reservoir of untapped talent that is the province of the introverted temperament. Over one third of us engage the world as ‘heed-takers’ instead of risk-takers in Ms. Cain’s words. Our current culture equates volume with value but, as she points out, “ there is zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas”. In earlier eras of this country’s history inner qualities such as personal integrity or the willingness to do the right thing whether anyone was looking or not were held in higher esteem and the notion of ‘character’ was collectively recognized and valued. Ms. Cain argues for a re-balancing of our current collective valuing so that the quiet gifts, properly nurtured in ourselves and others, can change the world for all of us.
I feel there is a clear therapeutic value in her work for adults, parents and kids. If you or one of your loved ones falls more towards the introverted end of the spectrum this book paves the way for not only a measure of acceptance but also a celebration of individuality and the inherent value of each and every one of us. What does that look like for yourself or for your child who may be struggling in an environment much more geared to extroverted skills? I am also including a link to a recent NYTimes article in which Ms. Cain talks about her preparation (as an introvert) to gain a comfort level with the public speaking that she knew would be necessary to promote her book. She argues that, with the appropriate support, introverts can hold a total workable balance in the world that is an essential building block to a fulfilling life for themselves.
Are you an introvert? If you’d like to explore how to be at home with yourself feel free to contact me for a consultation.
