When you don't know what to do, choose the path with fewest regrets

 I had a nice visit from an longtime client the other day; it was great to catch up. She detailed the challenges she is facing now, lots of complicated factors and issues. As we talked, she eventually asked me, "Ok, so what should I do?" Turns out, this is one of the harder questions to answer in therapy.

I really believe that the best therapists help you make the decision that's right for you, instead of making the decision for you. It's your life, you should always be empowered to make your own choices. It's easy for me to give you my answer, but much better for me to help you make your own.

What I ultimately told her was that in a situation where you don't know what to do, where both choices seem bad or complicated, choose the one with the fewest regrets. None of us can know exactly how a situation will play out in the future, but I believe that you'll feel best if you can stand back in the future and look at the outcome and say, "I did everything I possibly could to make this work."

I hope this helps you make the choices you're struggling with. We should all be so lucky to lead a life with few regrets.

Warmly,
Dr Kathy