Welcome back,
And a special welcome to those who have recently joined, it’s so good having you here!
The theme for this week is “Value”.
This week I posted a thread on Twitter about an insecurity I have, and it seemed to resonate with a lot of folks, maybe even you. That insecurity is embedded in a doubt I have about myself: Am I really enough?
I particularly feel this with clients. I doubt whether I’m providing the value they are looking for, whether I’m making it worth it for them to pay me their hard-earned money.
It gets personal because being a therapist is something I feel I should be good at. I’ve played the role of the helper ever since I was a kid, so this is my lane, this is where I’m supposed to be. Right? There’s a lot of myself and my self-worth that’s wrapped up into helping people.
This means that at times I’m subconsciously entering the therapy room looking for a sense of validation, an assurance that yes, I am helpful. I go in feeling I have something to prove.
Here’s what I’m trying to remember:
- My worth is not tied to my client’s progress
- I am not in control of my client’s progress
- I have a lot of value I can and have provided to many
- I cannot be a good fit for everyone, that’s ok
- There are things I can improve on, and always will be
- Everyone is on the path to becoming a better therapist
Do you ever feel similarly? Let’s reflect.
Come back to yourself for a moment now – take a deep breath, note where you are and what you are feeling.
Now consider these two questions.
Question #1: What expectations do you have for yourself as a therapist? Are they reasonable? What value do you know you provide?
Question #2: There will be many clients that will not be a good fit for you, how does it feel to know this? Can you offer some compassion and understanding to any fearful, anxious, or uneasy feelings that arise?
Photo by dan carlson on Unsplash