I make it clear with my clients that I have absolutely sat in your chair. I have my own struggles, I come from a place. I am not perfect and there are ugly things about me.. My approach is warmth and comfort. I often encourage my clients to find what is cozy, what feels good, what is restorative for them. I feel a great privilege in hearing the stories and the struggles of my clients. Should we work together, I will treasure your story.
I sit with people in their pain, their grief, their sorrow, their anger, where others in their lives seem to struggle. I take an 'embrace them all' approach to emotions.
I take pride in knowing my clients well and remembering details like their sister's cat's name.
When you come into my office I want to make you feel heard. I want you to feel a connection alongside the difficulty you are facing. I take a very non-judgemental approach.
Sometimes, it feels important to reassure clients that I do my own personal care. Over time, folks can feel like they need to take care of me. I make it clear that I get a lot of support professionally and I make sure to give myself time and space to process some of the difficult things I hear as well as do lots of self care. What I hear from my clients about the benefits of working with me, is that they feel a sense of me 'getting it'. I have been told on many occasions that my non-judgemental approach has helped them after leaving the office. People often leave feeling validated and cared for. Many people I have worked with report that they start to accept their own feelings and difficulties over time and start to like (and then maybe love) themselves more.