I've always been a fan of butterflies; not only are they beautiful creatures, but they also symbolise so much to me. Firstly, they represent change. As Necole Stephens put it, "when you find yourself cocooned in isolation and you cannot find your way out of darkness, remember, this is similar to the place where caterpillars go to grow their wings." Secondly, they represent freedom, the power to fly at will. Thirdly, they have both strength (they can maintain flight in the strongest of winds), yet also such vulnerability in the fragility of their wings. Finally, they represent hope, hope that beyond the ordinary of the caterpillar, there is the metamorphosis into the extraordinary of the butterfly.
Much like the caterpillar, I believe in human potential; the inherent drive that sits within us to become the best we can be. As Elizabeth Lesser says, "it seems we too must go through such a time when life as we have known it is over - when being a caterpillar feels somehow false, and yet we don’t know who we are supposed to become. All we know is that something bigger is calling us to change." Whilst the caterpillar endures a lonely journey towards that goal, as humans, I don't consider that this has to be a solitary experience. Also, the butterfly only has one opportunity for transformation, whereas humans have the capacity for constant re-invention and change.
That's why I called my practice 'Paloma' Counselling. In certain Spanish dialects (like Catalan), paloma means butterfly, more commonly, it also translates as dove (carrying similar symbolism of freedom). It's in Spanish, because Spanish culture is another one of my passions! It never fails to amaze me how much a client's journey mirrors that of the butterfly; with echoes of growth, vulnerability, strength, courage, transformation and hope.
