Balanced Perspective
Life’s challenges can be overwhelming; everyone deserves a space to feel heard and supported. At Roamers Therapy, we provide trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and evidence-based environments to help you heal, grow, and navigate your mental well-being journey. As your psychotherapist, we are here to guide you every step of the way.
The Rigid Perspective
A rigid perspective refers to a perspective we may adopt that is often one-sided, imbalanced, and flawed. Examples of rigid perspectives include:
- I failed my exam, so I am not intelligent.
- I am too tired to do my work, so I am lazy.
- My partner asked for space, so they did not love me.
- My parents raised me, so I owe them everything.
- My friends are too busy to hang out, so I am unimportant to them.
The Rigid Perspective
When we adopt a rigid perspective, we create a flawed reality that can lead to things like:
- Heightened stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulties adapting to new situations
- Ruptures in relationships
- Inability to cope with stress
- Struggles with personal growth
The Balanced Perspective
A balanced perspective refers to the ability to weigh multiple truths and evidence to understand and accept a neutral, balanced reality, and often more accurate reality. Examples of balanced perspectives include:
- Understanding that people who love us can also be abusive.
- Recognizing that what we want may be different from what we need.
- Learning that we can love others and still have boundaries.
- Knowing that mistakes and failures are opportunities for growth.
The Balanced Perspective
A balanced perspective is not the same as a “silver lining.” Silver linings tend to negate the real, painful experiences of life. A balanced perspective helps us weigh the positive experiences with the negative ones. When we are able to develop balanced perspectives, we are able to achieve things like:
- A better understanding of ourselves and others
- A better understanding of stressful experiences
- An ability to adapt to evolving situations
- A more developed sense of empathy
- An outlet for processing our emotions
How to Adopt a Balanced Perspective
Developing a balanced perspective involves:
- Taking inventory of the situation, your thoughts, and your emotions
- Reflecting on what informed your thoughts
- Using the information to develop a balanced perspective.
This can be done by completing a thought record.
Completing a Thought Record
| Situation or Event | I failed an exam. |
| Initial thoughts | I am unintelligent and a failure. |
| Feelings | Shame Sadness Disappointment Worry |
Completing a Thought Record
| What informed that the thought? | I received a failing grade. |
| What disproves the thought? | I have received stellar grades in the past.I receive positive feedback from instructors.My classmates ask me for help. |
| Is there a balanced perspective? | I received a failing grade, which was disappointing. But I am capable of receiving better grades. I will study harder next time and ask my instructor for support. |
Find the Best Therapist in Chicago for Developing a Balanced Perspective
We can accept a more accurate reality when we can develop a balanced perspective. This affects the ways in which we see ourselves and others.
Remember, multiple truths can coexist (even ones that might be contradictory).
Thought records and other forms of introspection can help us challenge and expand rigid thoughts
At Roamers Therapy, our psychotherapists are here to support you through anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship issues, race-ethnicity issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, ADHD, Autism, or any challenges you encounter. Our psychotherapists are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance, and Commitment Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Gottman Therapy.
Whether you’re seeking guidance on a specific issue or need help navigating difficult emotions, we’re ready to assist you every step of the way.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and schedule a session with our mental health professionals to begin your healing journey. To get started with therapy, visit our booking page.
First, decide if you’ll be paying out-of-pocket or using insurance. If you’re a self-pay client, you can book directly through the “Book Now” page or fill out the “Self-Pay/Out-of-network Inquiry Form.” If you’re using insurance, fill out the “Insurance Verification Form” to receive details about your costs and availability. Please let us know your preferred therapist. If your preferred therapist isn’t available, you can join the waitlist by emailing us. Once your appointment is confirmed, you’ll receive intake documents to complete before your first session.
This page is also part of the Roamers Therapy Glossary; a collection of mental-health related definitions that are written by our therapists.
While our offices are currently located at the South Loop neighborhood of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more. You can visit our contact page to access detailed information on our office location.