The Protea Flower
Psst…if you’re up for a therapy analogy, this post is for you.
If we were sitting together, I’d be curious to know if you were familiar with the protea flower — or if you were mostly over there trying to figure out “how do you pronounce pro-tee-a” while browsing my page.
If you’ve ever seen the aftermath of a wildfire, isn’t it pretty hard to imagine how anything survives? Things seem barren — desperate — lacking in any liveliness. Yet, time and time again, we begin to witness new growth.
The protea flower is notorious for rising out of these harsh and desolate conditions. (And if you ask me — it does so in incredible fashion, leaving us with such a vibrant, bold, and hardy bloom!)
Even more impressive, it has been doing so for a very long time. The protea flower probably pre-dates many of the history lessons we learned in grade school, and it continues to thrive in many countries around the world today.
Have you ever seen something like this happen in your life? What about in the lives of your friends and loved ones? Looking back, it often seems pretty remarkable.
Painful and confusing experiences in our story can leave things like the aftermath of a wildfire — harsh and desolate — making things seems barren and our healing inconceivable. More questions than answers. More fear than faith. More hurt than hope. And for a season, it may feel like an endless search for new growth with seemingly nothing in plain sight.
When it comes to the protea flower, a lot of growth is happening beneath the soil. It’s not yet visible from the surface. Until one day, it brings about a new bloom. Representing resilience, renewal, and hope.
As a therapist, I have come to believe we are a lot like the protea flower — notorious for survival and new growth — even when it seems inconceivable. Witnessing the courage of my clients on this journey has truly been one of the greatest honors and privileges in my life.
As you reflect on this hopeful image, know that this is my hope for you.
And as always, may you be met with kindness, compassion, and grace along the way.
(PS: For those of you who weren’t up for the therapy analogy, thanks for sticking around. Eye rolls are welcome here.)