The Closet, the Chaos, and Why Therapy Feels a Lot Like Both

The Closet, the Chaos, and Why Therapy Feels a Lot Like Both

Written by a Therapist Who Regretted Cleaning the Playroom (For a Minute)

Today, I made what I thought was a simple decision: clean out the playroom closet. You know — just a quick little organization project. One of those tasks I’ve been putting off but figured wouldn’t take more than an hour.

Famous last words.

Before I knew it, I had toys scattered across the floor, puzzle pieces under the couch, half-empty bins everywhere, and a growing pile of “what even is this?” on the rug. At one point, my kids were dancing on the chaos while asking for snacks, and I found myself sitting in the middle of the mess thinking, Why did I even start this? Honestly, it looked better before I touched it.

For a moment, I genuinely questioned whether I should’ve just shut the closet door and walked away. But here’s the thing — I didn’t. I kept sorting. I kept sifting. And eventually, I got there.

I found things worth keeping: favorite toys, art supplies that still had life in them, and even a couple of sweet drawings I’d forgotten about. I threw away broken pieces and random junk that had somehow accumulated over time. And a few things? I realized they could be used in a whole new way — they just needed to be seen differently.

And by the end? The closet made sense again. It didn’t look perfect. But it felt manageable.

Clear. Lighter. And I felt proud of the progress.

And honestly? That’s exactly what therapy is like.

Therapy can feel overwhelming in the beginning. Like dumping out the bins of your life and suddenly facing the chaos head-on. All those thoughts, feelings, memories — some that make sense, others that just feel messy. Sometimes, in the middle of it all, people wonder, Would I have been better off just leaving it alone?

But the beauty of therapy — just like closet-cleaning — is that it gives you choice.

You get to decide what to hold onto: your values, your strengths, the parts of yourself you may have forgotten. You get to let go of what no longer serves you — old patterns, outdated beliefs, internalized shame. And sometimes, you find new ways to view your story — to repurpose your pain, to use your past as a foundation for healing.

It might not be neat. It might not be fast. And it might look worse before it looks better. But if you stick with it, the result is something that feels meaningful, intentional, and lighter than when you started.

At our practice, we believe in Creating Progress, Not Perfection. Because healing isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about taking the next step, one piece at a time, with support and compassion along the way.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your own version of chaos — whether it’s burnout, anxiety, grief, parenting stress, relationship tension, or something else — you don’t have to go through it alone.

We’re here. Let’s make sense of the mess together.

📞 Reach out anytime — you don’t have to do it alone.

👉 www.creatingprogress.net

📧 intake@creatingprogress.net

📱 847.790.4959 ext 1