My Therapist Says

My Therapist Says Restlessness Can Be Rewarding

Feeling antsy isn’t a character flaw but a sign

Jessica Furseth
Elemental
Published in
5 min readFeb 1, 2021

--

Illustration by Kate Dehler for Elemental

I’ve always considered myself a pragmatist — when facing a challenge, I often try to take a breath, go eat something, get some rest, and revisit with a fresh perspective in the morning. Don’t get me wrong — I make decisions based on gut feelings all the time. I just try to give it time to clarify and not make emotional decisions impulsively. Often it’s not a crisis; I’m just hungry.

But one day I came across a problem that no amount of snacking and waiting could solve: What should I do about my marriage? The question sat there like a rock, obstructing my path. I wasn’t used to being so clueless about my own feelings, so after months of this, I did the pragmatic thing and started seeing a therapist. I’d never gone to therapy before, but I’d seen people do it on TV, and if nothing else, it might be interesting.

Dr. S saw his patients in the library in his house, located in a charming part of central London that I’d never considered as a place where normal people lived. I mean, I’d literally run into the Harry Potter walking tour on my way there. Dr. S was an older gentleman with kind eyes and partial to house slippers and a vest over his collared shirt. During our sessions, I’d sit…

--

--

Jessica Furseth
Elemental

Journalist and Londoner. I write about culture, food, and places. www.jessicafurseth.com