Written by Tracy Shirvill
To some a business name can be compared to the cornerstone of a building; it orients both the business and clients into a specific direction. When I decided to open up my own private practice, I wanted my business name to reflect what counselling is, what clients experience coming to counselling, and the kind of counsellor I am.
When you first hear the word felicity you may think of happiness. For a long time now, we have been inundated with messages telling us that happiness is an end-goal. The right job, the right partner, friends, travelling, having children, all of these and more will bring us happiness. For some there is even a belief that going to counselling is the key to being happy. That if you talk through your problems, bring down the barriers holding you back, that in the end you will be happy. The problem with this is that happiness is an emotion, and emotions are continually changing. In one day, we can experience everything from being bored, amused, serene, or frustrated. We can even feel multiple emotions at the same time!
In the 14th century felicity meant ‘to produce, yield’. By the 16th century the Roman agricultural community used felicity to refer to the happiness which produces crops. They knew that to create happiness we have to put in the effort. It can be hard work at times, uncomfortable, emotional and even confrontational. When you initially come to counselling, you may be feeling a lot of different emotions. You may have a lot of different thoughts running through your mind. You may not have the words to describe what you are experiencing. Counselling helps you to explore these thoughts and feelings, understand them, and find the ways to express them.
Felicity is happiness. Felicity is finding the words which express your thoughts and feelings. Felicity is the process of creating a life rich with meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. It won’t always be easy but in the end it will be worth it.