Let’s face it. Being a therapist is not the easiest job on earth, sometimes you have to sit with an enormous amount of pain, anguish, and grief. Sometimes you hear stories of abuse and trauma that truly deeply break your heart. I have been asked a lot of times, “why do you do this?” Well, there is another side to being a therapist as well; you get the chance to connect with another human being on an incredibly deep level and witness the resilience they have. I get to see my client’s healing, thriving, and flourishing, and that is what I love about my work. Being the agent of hope when everything seems hopeless is what draws me to being a therapist.
Most of the time my work begins with a client when they are at their lowest. They come to me when they are feeling desperate and I love watching them transcend their challenges and become a stronger version of themselves. I have fought my own battles with depression and anxiety and I know that sometimes all it takes for a person to feel happiness is having another human being who firmly believes that they are strong enough to recover. I think it is a privilege to be that one person for my clients.
I think of therapy as a space in which the client and the therapist use the safety of the relationship to change deeply held beliefs, heal past wounds, and envision a different future. My role as a therapist is not to have all the answers for my clients or to “cure” them; it is to sit with them and support them as they get in touch with their emotions and find their own answers. Some of the ways in which I support my clients in their journey are sharing my perspective, holding space for their difficult emotions, giving them tools, and sometimes challenging their beliefs. Coming from a humanistic background, I believe that all individuals have an innate ability and desire to thrive if they are provided with the right conditions, just as sunflowers will find their way towards the sun.
A couple of years ago I heard a term in training that deeply resonated with me: “undoing aloneness”. As soon as I heard it, I knew it summarized the heart of therapy. I have learned through the years that many people feel alone in their pain and that being alone in pain makes it even more painful. I am really honored to have the opportunity to undo my clients` aloneness by being present with them as they experience their most difficult emotions. As the saying goes, if that is not sacred, I don’t know what is.
