I see therapists as leaders. We're all humans, walking around in these meat suits, dealing with the same stuff- grief, sadness, fear loneliness, anxiety, desire, heartbreak, longing, delight, joy, amazement, exasperation. All of us have these emotions within us one way or another. And all of us are in some way shape or form dealing with other people, in their respective meat suits, who are also holding and dealing with the complexities of being human. Therapists are studiers, researchers, observers, thinkers about what it means to be human - why we work the way we work, how we deal with things, how our complexities show up interactively.
Firstly, As leaders in the art and complexities of being human we owe it to ourselves, and our clients, to do our own work. This doesn't mean we have to be perfect, far from it. We have every right to be human and messy and make mistakes just as much as anyone else out there. However, what I think has the potential to distinguish us as leaders and I think what we are obligated to, is to continually investigate our version of being human. Be continual self-investigators. By learning about ourselves, we become better versions of ourselves, and simultaneously we learn about the human experience. We are not obligated to be perfect, behave perfectly, always manage our emotions perfectly, or be perfect in our relationships, no! But we ARE obligated to pay attention to what is happening with us - investigate where things are coming from, do our best to continually return to a growth mindset and self-responsibility. In doing so, we learn what that is like for humans. We are our own case study in human understanding, if we do the work.
Secondly, as leaders in mental health, we ought to become advocates for mental health. Even if we don't always measure up to all the ways in which we ought to prioritize our mental health, I do believe it is important that we strive for it, and intend for it, and look for opportunities to improve in that area.
The spaces we hold are sacred. The energy we give is profound and unique. The space holding for people's deepest darkest secrets, or just for a caring, compassionate, non-judgmental place to land. The presence required is energy. We are there to give, to put our clients first, for that 55 minutes we let them and their story be the most important thing. We step back from ourselves.
I'm here to argue that this level of deep soul work requires deep soul nourishment. We cannot do our job well if we do not have that energy to give. I think it is so important to continually ask ourselves - how am I nourishing my soul? What is giving me lightness and fun? What is giving me depth of relationship so important to human being? What is giving me time to reflect? The answers will look different to everyone, but they are important to ask.
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