As a counselling service we aim to be accessible to as many people when they need us. And the need for having someone to talk to was dramatically highlighted this week when Sesame Street icon Elmo, checked into their fanbase on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) with an innocuous Monday morning tweet asking, ‘How is everybody doing?’
The response was nothing short of staggering with tens of thousands of people replying in a short space of time with existential problems, and cries for help and friendship. Joe Biden, President of the US joined in the conversation from his bunker under the White House, citing ‘We have to be there for each other’. An ironic statement given the current conflicts which he is Commander-in Chief…
As the world awoke to everyone offloading their concerns, The popular Sesame Street resident seemed unfazed by the intensity of the mood. He took to the online platform later in the day to say, ‘It is important to ask a friend how they are doing… Elmo loves you #EmotionalWellBeing.’
Other Sesame Street characters spoke up in support of their friend including The Cookie Monster tweeting ‘Me here to talk it out whenever you want – and I provide cookies.’ Ernie – knowing how important the relationship is between him and Bert also spoke out, saying ‘I’m here if you ever need a shoulder to lean on.’
Some people were quick to criticise the timing of Elmo’s question, suggesting the last Monday of a long month may not have been the best time to pose such a question, however at Active Listening Therapies, we believe the timing was perfect, capturing the mood and proving that we are not alone in both experiencing difficult times, and being able to help others in difficult times.
The Count (who likes to count) appears to have abstained from commenting – and that is not unusual considering the high number of comments that have been made online which he is – without a doubt – still counting.
So, what do we as a business take away from this? There are many ways of looking at emotional wellbeing. First, identify how you are feeling; having an honest discussion with yourself as to the cause of the distress is a great start. It may not be pleasant, but authenticity is massive in moving forward. Second, while it may not feel so, or it may not feel comfortable, there are people around you who are willing to listen… And, if you are the person who is trusted to listen, focus in on what is being said; allow the person time to offload. Thirdly, The Cookie Monster offered cookies – cookies are always a good comfort. Finally, if these options don’t work for you, drop us an email on the addresses below and we can look how counselling support can help you.
louise@activelisteningtherapies.com
or
duncan@activelisteningtherapies.com
Active Listening Therapies is a counselling service based in Newark on Trent. Owned and managed by Louise and Duncan Ellison, the company has gained a trusted reputation as a welcoming and solution focused counselling practice serving Newark, Southwell, Collingham, Farndon, Muskham, Claypole and Grantham.