The official definition of it is “a firm belief in the reliability, truth or ability of someone or something.” An analogy of it states that “it is like a piece of paper, once it’s crumpled it can’t be perfect again” Both sentences are describing trust.
Trust is fundamental in any relationship. With it we feel safe, secure, it’s a strength, a bond and belief in the other person. It is a base from which any relationship will grow from. Without it what does a relationship have? Broken trust can leave us feeling hurt, scared, angry, jealous and insecure. If we struggle to trust anyone it can leave us isolated, lonely, defensive, unable to establish meaningful attachments and healthy relationships and there may be many reasons why we struggle to trust others.
So, what does trust mean to you in your relationships? Is it a belief in the other person to be true and honest with you? To not hurt you? Can you show vulnerability, trusting that it won’t be abused? Do you trust easily or is your trust something that really needs to be earned? If your trust has ever been broken was it easily restored if at all?
If you are someone who struggles with trust, therapy can give you the space to explore why and work on it, yet for some, the thought of trusting a counsellor may be an obstacle in itself. Being trustworthy is actually a principle of the BACP Ethical Framework that counsellors adhere to and we understand that without trust in the counsellor, clients will not feel safe enough to open up and explore the issues they feel they need to. Trust is something that needs to be established and built on and it may take time to grow, but if you are able to learn to trust in your counsellor, it may be the first step to learning to trust in others.
