Mental Health Minute

The Hole In The Sidewalk

by Lisa Philippart, Licensed Professional Counselor

Since March, I have help your dog with their been trying to attend at fear? Address the issue least one free webinar a week related to men tal or emotional health. lem will, in most cases, Most have been help go away. Now, if the ful, providing new tid problem persists with bits of information that the fear of whatever it I can use in my counsel may be, professional ing sessions. Two weeks training may have to be ago, this poem was in your next step. Keep in cluded in a webinar on mind that if they have choices and responsibil been conditioned in an ity; and it has already extreme way, that fear had a profound impact may never fully go on me and now my cli ents. I’m almost em One last parting issue -- barrassed to report that many dogs are terrified I was not aware of this of loud noises, such as poem, but now that I am, I am sharing it with ev storms. When dealing eryone! Take a moment with a dog about these to read it through. Then issues, give them a read it again. quiet, safe environment in the home. Usually a Autobiography in Five room in the center of Short Chapters Chapter 1 the house with a TV or radio might help. Even I walk down the street. having your presence There is a deep hole in there will help them in the sidewalk most cases. One trick I fall in. I have seen work with dogs and their terror of I am lost... thunderstorms is a used I am helpless. dryer sheet. Rub them It isn't my fault. all over, and it may calm them down. All I can It takes me forever to think is that it takes the find a way out. static energy out of their Chapter 2 coat. Well, folks until I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place but, it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in ... it's a hab it. My eyes are open I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down another street. Copyright 1993, by Portia Nelson from the book, There's A Hole in My Sidewalk. Making mistakes is a natural part of life, and an important part of un derstanding the process of learning. This poem is about identifying, analyzing, and learn ing from our mistakes. In the first chapter, the person doesn’t even see the hole and is com pletely lost. There are times when we blame someone else instead of facing reality. It can be a challenge to see our selves as the performers of our actions, which causes us to be “inside the hole.” It’s easier to blame someone else and run from the problem as a victim. If we look at the poem symbolically, the street represents life and the hole represents trouble or a struggle. And in chapter one, it’s all about feeling help less.

In the second chapter, the person pretends not to see the hole and falls into it again. The hole is there and even if the person falls into it, the person is pretending he is not the doer. Fall ing in is not our fault. Making a mistake can become a habit, and life gives us opportunities to learn from our mistakes. In some cases, it takes some or a long time for us to learn. It depends on our learning pro cesses, culture, genetics, attitudes, etc. But ev erybody has the potential to learn. Wanting to change is the important issue, and this person isn’t there yet. By the third chapter, the person recognizes the hole, falls into it, but finally realizes that it’s a habit. The “eyes are open” to the awareness of the action, under standing who has just performed the action of falling. The need to get out of the hole symbolizes the will to do things differently. The person sees that he is in an uncomfortable position and it’s his fault. At this point in the story we recognize the frustration and understand the reason for the fall. Acknowledging our mistakes is really important, and once we do that, we can start acting differently and take responsibility for our own deeds. This chapter is our “wake up call!” Chapter four is when the person decides that he/she is not going to fall into the hole again (make the same mistake, act the same way and get the same result.) We have a new perspective. In the last chapter, the person is taking another way, making a change, and moving on with life in a new direction. Once we face difficult situations, we have the opportunity for new outcomes. This autobiography shares the simple analogy that change cannot take place until we take responsibility for our actions.

Lisa Philippart is a Li censed Professional Counselor, who divides her time between her own private practice in Huntsville and providing personal counseling services at Athens State University.