Why did I become a therapist?
I don't often get to share my story of how I became a therapist, but I figured for those of you like me who wonder "why did they become a ...." here is my story.
I was the client long before I was the therapist. I was in and out of therapy a majority of my childhood. My mother was also a counselor. You could imagine how I felt about therapy by the time I was an adult. To put it simply, I swore I would NEVER be a therapist. I knew I wanted to help people, but my experience in the mental health world had crushed any hope of being a therapist.
Fast forward eight years, I was struggling in my relationship and old trauma was resurfacing, I needed help. I was recommended a therapist in the area and figured I had nothing to lose. The next hour was so profoundly life changing and I applied for graduate school that night.
I was introduced to EMDR as a client. What therapists had been attempting for years was addressed after a few sessions of EMDR. This blew my mind. The heaviness that I had been carrying all of my life gone. The negative core beliefs, nightmares, and anxiety all gone. Simply put, it was a night and day difference in all aspects of my life after EMDR therapy.
1 therapy session changed my whole world
My pain fueled my purpose of helping others
Once I entered graduate school, I secured an internship with the therapist I aspired to be, the same therapist who changed my whole outlook on counseling and the mental health world. I spent the next four years learning alongside of him and his 30+ years of work and diving into the world of trauma.
In the end, I didn't choose counseling, counseling chose me. I had the privilege and honor of having the best supervisor, mentor & friend. All that I am and aspire to be is due to him. My favorite quote is about the butterfly effect- which in simple states that our small actions can have ripple effects. That therapist touched my life and inadvertently touched thousands of others. He also healed the inner child in me, believing in my ability and potential to help others. I hope that I can give back what was given to me years ago. It's such an honor and privilege to be able to support a client in whatever journey that they face.
When I encourage someone to go to therapy, I don't say that just because I'm a therapist, I say it because it changed my life, and it has the power to change yours.