• Home
  • Common Issues
    • Mood
      • Depression
      • Anxiety
      • Panic
      • Social Anxiety
    • Relationships
      • Couples Counseling
      • Physical Intimacy Issues
      • Finding the Right Relationship
      • Family Issues
    • Coaching
      • Career
      • Life Coaching
      • Weight Management & Fitness Coaching
    • Other
      • Medicare and Senior Issues
      • Child and Adolescent
      • Christian Counseling
      • Chronic Pain and Medical Issues
      • Medication Evaluation and Management
  • About Therapy
    • Session Formats
      • Individuals
      • Couples
      • Kids and Teens
      • Families
      • Canine Counseling
    • Therapy Styles
      • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • Family Systems (Psychodynamic)
      • Christian Counseling
      • Meditation and Mindfulness Training
      • Hypnosis Therapy Technique
    • FAQs
      • What is the difference between a psychologist and a counselor?
      • What is your confidentiality policy?
      • Does therapy really work?
      • How long will I need to be in therapy?
      • How often should I come?
      • How can I measure my progress in therapy?
      • What if I don’t share the same belief system or life circumstances as my therapist?
      • Can I use my insurance?
  • Inspiration
    • Articles
      • Blog
        • Using Distraction as an Avoidance of Emotion

        • Tips for Managing Daily Activities while Struggling with Depression

        • Friendships: How to manage your boundaries and enjoy them more!

        • Recognizing Burnout and the Importance of Work-Life Balance

        • Dear Teen… Licensed Counselor Provides Insight on Heading Back to School – Part 2

    • Quotes
      • InstagramInstagram did not return a 200.
    • Videos
      • Videos
        • Understanding Guilt and How It Works

        • Sexual Dissatisfaction

  • Checklist
    • Adult ADHD Self-Evaluation
    • Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Bipolarism Self-Evaluation
    • Depression Self-Evaluation
    • Panic Attack Self-Evaluation
    • Relationship Health Self-Evaluation
    • Social Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Sexual Dysfunction Self-Evaluation
  • About Us
    • Whole Life Philosophy
    • Staff
      • Heather Robbins, Ph.D., LP
      • James Robbins, MA., LPC
      • Leslie Scott, MS, LPC
      • Steve Reedy, MA, LPC, RMT, NMT
      • Breanna Katz-Estrada, MSW, LCSW
      • Emily McGlothlin, MS, LPC
      • Jon Johnston, MA, LPC
      • Kelly Kay Wynn, MS, MSW, LCSW
      • Marilyn Powell, Ph.D.
      • Diane Williams, MSW, LCSW
    • News
    • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Rates
    • Insurance
      • Fees & Insurance
      • Medicare Part B
      • Blue Cross and Blue Shield
    • Location
    • Appointments
      • Schedule a Consultation
      • Scheduling Hours
      • Scheduling Policy
  • Social & Contact
    ‪(972) 755-0996

Dallas Whole Life Counseling

Licensed Psychologist and Therapists

Top 10 psychologists in Dallas, TX 2016 Top Counseling & Mental Health in Dallas

Schedule a Consult

Compassion: The Key to Self-Growth

compassion - Dallas Whole Life Counseling

May 22, 2019 by James Robbins, M.A., LPC

When I was ten or so, I heard a story that still sticks with me.

A man was on a plane, flying home after traveling all week for work. Utterly exhausted, he hoped to get a couple of hours sleep before returning to his family. Just as he was nodding off, two little girls seated behind him started screeching. The girls began roaming the aisles, making noise, causing general chaos. The man noticed a woman sitting behind him, the girls’ mother. She stared vacantly out the window, paying zero attention to her children. Fuming the entire flight, the man didn’t sleep a wink

When they finally deplaned, the man confronted the woman. “There are other passengers on this plane, you know. It’s incredibly rude to let your kids run wild!”

The woman looked startled, as if waking from a dream. “You’re right. I am so sorry,” she said, her eyes tearing up. “We just buried the girl’s father this morning, and I’m just not myself right now . . .”

Recognizing Human Connection

It’s easy to take life personally. People do things. They get in your way, they intrude in your space. When I feel annoyed with someone, I often remember the story of the mother on the plane. I remind myself that I don’t know what someone has had to deal with that day, that week, that year, that decade. By extending compassion to others, you extend compassion to yourself. Human suffering can be so immense, it’s easy to close your heart to others, to reflexively dismiss certain people as rotten apples. But have others sometimes unfairly dismissed you? Can you at least remain open to the idea that the person with the screaming kids is doing her best? To consider that others are doing their best is to consider that you are doing your best.

Compassion doesn’t mean pitying or feeling sorry for someone. It means recognizing that we’re all in the same boat, that we all deal with unexpected twists and turns in our lives. When you summarily judge someone, you cut yourself off from the organic flow of life. When you see yourself in others, and when you see others in yourself, you are nurturing the natural connection among all human beings. Compassion teaches self-awareness, and increased self-awareness is the fundamental key to getting what you want out of life.

Filed Under: About Us, Articles, Blog, Education, Inspiration, Inspiration, Mindfulness, Newsletter Tagged With: compassion, dallas counseling, Dallas therapy, relationships

About James Robbins, M.A., LPC

James Robbins is a licensed professional counselor, published author and co-owner of Dallas Whole Life Counseling. He has over 15 years of experience helping people in various life stages that come from a wide variety of cultural, economic and family backgrounds. Learn more about his background by clicking here.

Search the Site

Latest Blog Posts

  • What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
  • Using Distraction as an Avoidance of Emotion
  • Tips for Managing Daily Activities while Struggling with Depression
  • Friendships: How to manage your boundaries and enjoy them more!
  • Recognizing Burnout and the Importance of Work-Life Balance

Contact Us

Admin Offices
Dallas Galleria Tower One
13355 Noel Road
Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75240

Virtual Sessions
Licensed phone and video sessions are available throughout Texas by appointment.

Phone & Email
‪(972) 755-0996‬
contact@dallaswholelife.com

Office Hours
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Common Issues

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Couples Counseling
  • Physical Intimacy Issues
  • Panic
  • Senior Issues
  • Child & Adolescent
  • Christian Counseling
  • Career Coaching
  • Life Coaching
  • Social Anxiety
  • EMDR
  • Family Issues
  • Grief Counseling
  • Weight & Fitness
  • Eating Disorders
  • Chronic Pain
  • Medical Issues

Office Hours

Main Office: (972) 755-0996
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Location

Dallas Galleria Tower One
13355 Noel Road, Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75240
*Licensed phone and video sessions available in Texas.

Follow Us

Contact Us

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Dallas Whole Life Counseling | 6380 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy., Suite 299 | Dallas, TX 75240 | (972) 755-0996Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved. Website by Rokkit Marketing.