05/15/2024
WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO ME, AS A THERAPIST:
1. Human First: i may be your therapist, but I am not better than you. I am not above you. I am another person, talking to a person about their life. It would be hypocritical, as a Human, to judge you.
2. Our Rapport: Building rapport and having a relationship with my clients is how success happens. If you don't vibe, it's not going to have as much as an impact. It's important to me for us to have that relationship & nurture it.
3. Showing Emotion: Grad School taught me to be a blank slate, a robot basically & I say, f**k that. My clients appreciate when I am shocked or in disbelief or angry for them. I know when it's appropriate and when it's not. They know it's never out of a judgement.
4. Humor: make the dark jokes, let's f**king laugh. It doesn't always have to be SO serious and if it makes the client feel safe and themselves - I AM ABOUT IT
5. Self-Disclosure: AHH the one that people fear and we've been warned so harshly to not do. My clients trust me more because they know things about me. I use self-disclosure when it benefits the client, not to make it about me. We are in a time where people want to know who they are sharing all of their vulnerabilities with and I have no problem with them knowing. It's used healthily and in the context that helps my client.
6. Meeting the client where they are at: I lovingly push but I don't expect my clients to have unrealistic expectations. I don't judge, I don't say "move faster" or that "you aren't doing enough" - I meet my client where they are at, because this is for THEM.