Thoughts on Thursday

I love my job and each day I learn so much. A presenter at a conference that I recently attended said -- the day that I quit caring and even shedding a tear with my client, will be the day that it is time to retire. I agree. I leave my office, inspired and full of gratitude for my clients.

In my attempt to have a little organization to my blog -- perhaps Thursday will be the therapist voice sharing a favorite quote, thought, or experience.

My favorite quote from a client this week was: when I leave your office I feel energized and like I have just had a cleansing massage!
A quote I enjoy: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Marianne Williamson.

Can we embrace the thought that I am enough.  Carl Rogers and Victor Frankl are two of my favorites in therapy -- Rogers message is that when we can love and accept ourselves as we are that is when we can feel empowered to stretch ... to set a new goal ... to grow.  Can we love and accept ourselves for where we are today -- with our beauty, flaws, imperfections, strengths, and weaknesses?  To come from a place of love and acceptance is a much more empowering motivator than the critical voice beating up on ourselves. 
I try to end a session with ... do you have anything else you'd like to share before we finish ... again to give a sense of empowerment.  It is not easy to walk in our doors, I understand that.  I loved the comment of a teen this week - she said, yes can you go shopping with me?  you never wear the same thing!  We laughed.  (I do love clothes but it is easy to not wear the same thing when you see someone once a week ... what she doesn't know is that sometimes I wear the same thing in the same week).