I’m Okay
When I talk to clients and ask how they are feeling, I frequently hear, “I’m okay.”
I know then that I have some questions to ask because what they really might mean is
- I don’t know how to communicate my feelings
- I don’t trust that you can handle what I feel
- I don’t want to burden you
- I am not ready to talk
- I am trying to be strong because that is what you expect or require
- I am avoiding what I feel
- If I talk about how I feel, I fear that I will break
- I have been taught to pretend that I am ok even when I am hurting
- I don’t want to seem weak.
It’s perfectly acceptable to say, “Actually I am really not okay.” We can handle it together. Lawyers are witnesses to human suffering. Rarely do clients come into our offices with happy news. Together we can figure out whether or not you are okay and if you aren’t how we can help you to feel better.
