As a clinician, I am always thankful and gratuitous to all the clients that allow me to walk alongside them through their therapeutic journey. The end result makes my job so fulfilling. Sometimes, the progress is so intense and profound that it teaches me something new about myself and perhaps changes ways I would solve my own problems. As a clinician, there are certain ethical standards of care I have to follow to ensure my clients feel safe and protected when they step into my office. There are things that I can’t always share with my clients because I have to allow them to make their own decisions and determine how they choose to get there. This blog will list the three things I wish I could tell all my clients.
- I am learning new things with you. This does not mean I don’t know what I’m doing. It means that every client is unique and I learn to approach every client and their problem. Different clients also help me expand the techniques and interventions I will add to my tool box. Some of the things I have learned is to play more and allow myself to get out of my comfort. This is especially true with younger clients.
- I am invested. Although I have had many clients, I am able to remember most of ALL of their struggles and their progress. I think about all the things we worked on and use it as encouragement when I get some new client that may resemble a similar experience in the past. As a clinician, I make sure to give every one of my clients my full attention and my full efforts.
- Don’t be embarrassed. As a clinician I have heard it ALL. I always get a kick out of clients who apologize when they are about to delve into something deep or something they deem embarrassing. I make sure to convey how they need not feel any sense of shame. They are paying me and as a professional I am only here to help. So don’t be embarrassed! Let it rip!
I believe that almost every clinicians desire to have their clients feel like they’re decision to seek therapy was the best one they have ever made. It is important that clients feel like they have the best experience and remember that a therapy is meant to be a support in which a client is empowered to make a change in their life. As much as other people in the lives of clients may have an opinion on their decisions, a clinician would not impose or develop an opinion on them.
I hope this blog encourages many of those reading to seek mental health services and rest assured knowing that therapy is a great investment. Also, not all therapists look like the cliche therapist presented in Hollywood where they are most often old, sterile and troubled. Some of us are quite cool!
