One day in my therapy office, while explaining a concept to a couple, I reached for a decorative wooden cover that sits over a Kleenex box — a staple in any therapy room. I turned it upside down and said, “We each carry one of these. An emotional box.”

This box holds everything inside us — our emotions, past experiences, values, wounds, and reactions. It’s uniquely ours, and we’re each responsible for knowing what’s in it, how it shapes us, and how we choose to share it.

Some of us spill the contents everywhere; others pretend the box doesn’t exist. Real growth begins when we open it with curiosity — when we sort through what’s there and take ownership of what we find.

That simple image has transformed the way I and my clients understand ourselves and each other. It reminds us to say, “That’s in my box.” Or, “That’s in your box — I’m not responsible for it, but I can listen and care.”

This is where healing begins: with awareness, responsibility, and compassion — for ourselves and for those we love.