So this is my first blog since my first daughter was born 3 ½ years ago, yes I have been a busy girl since then.   Had another daughter who is 14 months now and have been loving raising them.  As I get back into the work area, I am wondering what therapy means to me and hence what it means to others.

I think therapy is important!  To be able to go somewhere, work on yourself and improve your life and those around you is what it is all about.  I have heard some horrible stories about people going to therapy and being disappointed and my answer to that is you haven’t found the right person to talk to yet.  I get asked all the time what is the difference between going to therapy and talking to friends.  My answer is that friends give advice and therapists’ make you come up with your own answers.  That is at least what I believe to be true.

One of the first things I learned in my master’s program is that therapy is mostly about joining with your clients and I firmly believe in this.  When you have a great relationship with your therapist you can feel comfortable talking about anything and it will still be okay.  It is okay to get upset, cry or even laugh when you are with your therapist because showing emotion is the quickest way to solve your issues.

So how do you keep professional boundaries with your clients if you are joining with them and they are sharing the most intimate details of their lives with you?  I believe it is the therapist’s job to maintain the boundaries and if clients want to blur those boundaries then a discussion needs to happen to make things clear again.  We as therapists’ owe it to our clients to be professional and in that respect to help our clients without blurring the lines of our relationship.

I enjoy being a therapist and helping people.  It took me a few years after college to figure out this is what I wanted to do, but once I did, I realized this is what I was made to do.  I do not consider it work and I love talking to people and helping them.

I am hoping that I can create an enjoyable experience on this blog so if you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them.  As well as if you have any ideas on future blogs I would be happy to hear those ideas!