What is it like being a therapist?
Being a therapist is an exciting and gratifying experience. Witnessing my client’s healing journey and growth is a privilege that brings immense satisfaction. There’s a special kind of fulfillment in being part of one’s story toward wholeness. It’s also challenging. Clients often bring their deepest desires and fears into therapy, making the work purposed.
Being a therapist can also be quite isolating. The stories I hear, and the relationships I build remain within a therapeutic space. Of course, confidentiality is paramount, and I rarely can share experiences with others, even with consent. This isolation can sometimes feel lonely, as the most impactful moments of my work are often left unspoken outside of my office.
There are times when clients bring up issues that resonate deeply with me. They might touch on my unhealed wounds. It’s a powerful reminder of our shared humanity. However, because of the nature of the therapeutic relationship, it’s not my place to use the relationship for my personal growth. This would be unethical. Instead, I take these reflections into my therapy sessions with my therapist. It’s an interesting “pass it along” effect that few understand. Every therapist should have a therapist.
Being a therapist has cultivated deep empathy within me. I see people differently now. No matter their path, I accept them as a whole person, even if they feel fragmented. This acceptance can sometimes feel ungrounded to others I interact with. They might feel I believe “anything goes.” I think people are often disconnected from their internal compass. My role is to help them reconnect with it, to find their true north again, rather than find a truth outside them to stabilize their existence.
My perspective on the world has shifted. I see through hidden motives and understand agendas more clearly. I also know my optics are flawed and distorted by my biases. This awareness brings a delicate balance. I accept people and institutions as they are, but I also advocate for those harmed by their actions. It’s a dance of acceptance and advocacy that I navigate daily.
In my personal life, it can be challenging to take off my therapist hat. I consciously try to be fully present as a dad, brother, partner, and friend. I can't be my friends or my kids’ therapist. These roles require different parts of me. While the skills I’ve developed as a therapist can be helpful, I must remember to be myself in these relationships.
This journey as a therapist is challenging yet deeply rewarding. It’s isolating yet profoundly connected. I cherish this balance and wouldn’t trade it for anything else. Being a therapist facilitates a new way of seeing and being in the world. It’s a privilege that shapes me as much as I hope to shape those I help.
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