Sacred Calling - A Moment of Gratitude

Today, my colleague mentioned that she heard my loud and distinct laugh through the walls at work. “ I knew something magical was happening in your session” she added, “to hear you laughing like that.“  I replied that my clients make me laugh so hard, I love them so much.” This made me think about the unique and in my opinion “sacred” relationship we as therapists share with our clients. We forge a somewhat odd relationship, meeting weekly, having in depth and intimate conversations about relationships, work, children and sex.  We talk more frequently and deeply than many friends do, even many spouses. In the outside world, we could have even been friends, but in the therapy relationship, we have walls that hold our boundaries, and the safety to explore the painful parts of ourselves. 

I am constantly learning and growing alongside my clients. I marvel at their courage to get to know their younger parts of themselves, the parts that hold deep pain and trauma, that felt alone those many years ago. To watch clients excavate their past, with exquisite inner compassion is nothing shy of beautiful.  How generously clients can give validation and love to their wounded inner children and let go of the pain they’ve held onto for so long. 

I feel fortunate to witness magic right in front of my eyes on a daily basis.

I’m often furiously jotting down recommendations for podcasts, shows, books that clients share to help me better understand them or their journey. We laugh together, I often shed a tear alongside their tears, and hurt and feel for their younger wounded parts that we learn to hold and heal together. If I can show up as human then I hope my clients have the courage to show up that same way. In the course of a few hours on a given day, I may sit with fear of aging, struggles within complex relationships, one person’s lifelong fight with addiction, and unhealed trauma from infancy. And through it all, we listen, we practice stillness and notice the effects on the body.  

The road in therapy can be bumpy and uncomfortable but I’m grateful to be seated in the passenger seat, helping navigate the way.