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Why you need to read " The Princess Who Believed in Fairy Tales" by Marcia Grad
by Ana Viana, M.S.
When I hear my clients say things like, " I don't know why I feel unworthy", " I don't want to leave this relationship because who will love me", " I am sick of being sick and tired of feeling this way" I immediately recommend "The Princess Who Believed in Fairy Tales" by Marcia Grad .
This book takes us on a journey of self-exploration and self-love. It is perfect for healing our inner child and dealing with toxic relationships (parental or romantic relationships). Because it is your inner child who is hurting, it is your inner child who needs to read this story.
Our heroine is Victoria, who faces many life challenges like having to deal with parental wounds, relationship wounds, and struggling with her expectations of life.
Similar to Victoria, we often have trouble being sure of ourselves due to a wound that was inflicted early on in life. Thus, leaving us with the message to seek validation and doubt our natural responses.
Victoria has been taught to please others and ignore her true feelings.
This may sound familiar. You might find that you often have difficulty knowing what you actually want for your life. There is a strong desire to move forward and explore your inner wants and needs in life but are too afraid to move in a different way-- as this is often a process, I encourage you (just like I encourage my clients) to journal what comes up for you during this part of the book. If you are currently in therapy, bring your journaling into session.
This book also teaches you how learning to come to terms with cards you were dealt (and how to play them) can be so empowering.
Learning to come to terms with cards you were dealt and learning how to play them can be so empowering.
As we acknowledge and accept the ugly truth of things that have occurred in the past I often support my clients in making room for the mixture of different emotions that brings up: anxiety, sadness, anger, lament, guilt, shame. And after, there comes a point and time in therapy where (like our heroine Victoria) you get to make a choice on how you want your fairytale ending to be like.
This is why this book is good at supporting you in embarking in this self exploration/ self-love journey. Therapy is about helping you take charge and discover who you are meant to be on your own.
Every client that reads this book has also interpreted it differently-- but in the end clients are left empowered by having a choice to change their life journey and learn about themselves. So, if you are feeling the call to embark on this journey, check out the book, and if you need more support, request a free consultation to work with me.
Ana Viana, M.S. is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and an outpatient clinician at TOC Therapy. She specializes in supporting BIPOC Adults managing anxiety, building self-love, and processing family dynamics. Ana believes that self-love also builds inner strength and is the basis for all healthy relationships. She takes a holistic approach to healing, integrating art and creativity interventions as well as body-centered tools like cognitive behavioral and somatic processing.
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