We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us… Romans 12:6a
I was speaking the other day with a client who was talking about her frustration about not being able to articulate well her opinions about certain decisions that she and her husband need to make. They are “wired” differently in how they perceive the world. She is much more intuitive in the way she approaches decisions. Her husband is much more linear in his thinking.
He is prone to more logical processes, whereas she may be more circuitous in how she arrives at her conclusions. He can articulate his position in a more straightforward fashion, whereas she may take a more peripheral route to her explanations.
This I felt was a good example of left-brained v. right-brained thinking. These are tendencies where basic orientation of how one perceives the world shapes the way we problem solve. The left-brained orientation will lean toward logic and linear thinking. Novel approaches to problem solving are more likely to come from the right-brained person. Connections for them may not be as straightforward, but hold the possibility of novel solutions- ones that may not appear obvious to others.
Because her husband sees the world in a more straightforward, logic-driven way, he cannot always understand her way of thinking. She also has trouble explaining herself to him because they, in some ways, speak a “different emotional language”. My client struggles with this, and often ends up simply giving in, believing that she is probably wrong because she cannot explain her own internal logic to him.
I explained to her that her thinking pattern is not wrong, just different. She is beginning to see this, and we are working on ways for her to better understand herself.
So many times, we see differences in people and assume that something is wrong. Isn’t it great that we are so different as we reflect the full image of God’s creation?
Prayer: Lord, you have made a diverse world, one that reflects your creative Spirit, Amen
Reflections of a Counselor 