The bulk of my clients have done therapy before and are past the “Intro to Therapy” experience aka Therapy 101. Yes, they want someone who is warm, empathetic and down to earth, but they are looking for someone who can help them with specific problems, like feeling less overwhelmed, getting their spark back professionally and creating healthier habits. They have some understanding of their issues and challenges, and have been reading books, listening to podcasts, or following certain social media accounts. But now they are ready for the advanced coursework. Often they are looking for someone who understands intersectionality and the complexity that it brings. The intersectionality of being a high performer and having chronic mental health struggles, of being Black and dealing with loved ones who don’t take their ADHD seriously- “you’re just lazy”, of being a woman in leadership and navigating discrimination, or of having this constant feeling of heaviness that no one knows about and having to keep it together on the outside. My clients place a huge value on having a highly skilled therapist who can meet them where they are and push them to where they want to go.
