What inspired you to become a therapist?
I’ve always been fascinated with psychology, how the brain works and how certain psychosocial and environmental factors impact an individual’s mental health and wellness. At an early age, I started to recognize that one of my many strengths is helping people. I’ve always wanted to help people overcome their obstacles in various ways, especially when they’re in difficult life circumstances.
What common misconceptions about therapy do you encounter, and how do you address them?
With all human-helping careers, it’s not unique for people to be concerned about engaging. As it pertains to psychotherapy, some misconceptions are that you need to be diagnosed with a severe mental illness to be in therapy, and this is absolutely not true. Additionally, personal fear remains about being judged by family and peers. I think we should have more conversations about the benefits of therapy—normalizing therapy will help reduce fear or judgment. The more mental health is prioritized and at the forefront of topics in government, schools, and businesses, the more people can realize that engaging in therapy is OK. Millennials and younger generations have done a great job of being open about their engagement in therapy, and these generations are more comfortable having ongoing conversations about the benefits of having a therapist and mental health treatment.
How do you maintain boundaries and professionalism while fostering a supportive and empathetic therapeutic relationship?
Boundaries are essential to me. Healthy boundaries are part of a healthy therapeutic relationship—or any relationship. There has to be a healthy balance of being who you are as a therapist while maintaining the professionalism of the relationship. Individuals value the ability of a therapist to be authentic and genuine while helping and providing the clinical support individuals need.
How do you support clients in navigating difficult emotions or challenging life circumstances?
The unfortunate truth is that sometimes unpredictable and challenging circumstances in life will arise. These situations can make managing emotions and feelings very difficult. When an individual faces those circumstances, having a therapist there to support them is crucial. While support looks different for everyone, I like to help individuals work through accepting reality while offering individualized recommendations for the person and their capacity at the time.
What role does self-care play in your work as a therapist, and how do you prioritize it?
Self-care is so valuable. As therapists, we educate and provide tools and techniques for implementing self-care and its value as part of an individual’s routine. We should also ensure that we’re taking care of ourselves. Like everyone, I have a busy and full life, but I take time to engage in activities I enjoy, spend time with people I enjoy being around and feed my body well. I believe there’s a direct connection between mental health and nutrition—what an individual puts in their body. Those are a few things that I pay attention to for my personal self-care.
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