It’s not easy to open up. Many of us approach counseling, and reaching out for help in general, with ambivalence. We want to feel better and know that talking can help, but the act of expressing vulnerable feelings is uncomfortable. Right as we’re on the precipice of diving into raw emotion, we can get cold feet. There are many ways to avoid taking this plunge, but one that often presents itself: instead of feeling our feelings, we become their judge.