Therapists need to do more
The times call for us to be more for our clients.
As mental health therapists, we are trained in the history and classical therapeutic approaches to interacting, interpreting, and staying emotionally distant while all the time expressing sympathy and empathy in a deeply “real” manner.
In our education, we are taught all the science and biology of what we do, and with all of this, there is a sense of authority when your clients come in the door. Now, I don't mean in an egotistical manner, but in how we are educated, licensed, and practiced, we are simply in that space for them.
Dropping any sense of authority is a necessity and must happen immediately. Looking through the lens of “helpers” throughout human history, the most impactful ones are the outliers, the ones who don’t follow the norm.
Let’s start with a few starting points to help solidify my position;
Your office.
It’s not yours, it’s the client’s space to reinvent, to discover and uncover their true selves.
Acalades.
They(the client) are in your office because you are qualified. Take all your certifications and credentials off the wall. That includes your degree. The office is there space, not a place for you to Bragg.
