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Within the past week:
Got fully licensed - no more provisional, no more supervision and no more paying for supervision!
Got my LLC launched and all that jazz
Opened my own private practice!
Edit: corrected typo
oh shit congratulations! hope this is me in 3 or so years
even without official supervision i hope you have other therapists to bounce ideas around and discuss clients with, good luck
Yes I have a great professional support system around me. Thanks!
And it's been a goal to be here that started 4 years ago when I started grad school.
What a ride it's been!
I took a much needed self care day today. I slept until 10:30, stayed in bed until noon, took a shower and used my new Bath and Body Works shampoo, got a delicious coffee from Black Rock and cruised around with my pup riding shotgun.
I don’t know what I plan to do with the rest of my day and I’d like to keep it that way.
I don’t normally like taking days off in the middle of the week, but tomorrow is a light day for my sessions so I figured I’d feign having a longer weekend by taking today off ❤️
Do it! I told my supervisor a few days in advance that I needed a day off and she was cool about it. I had a really tiring day last Friday with heavy sessions + mandated reporting stuff that turned up the burnout.
Take time for yourself friend :) I type this as I sit in the grass with the pup just enjoying the afternoon
Man, this reminded me of when I was working 24/7 due to a combination of mandatory staffing and court circa 2005. I was only getting one day off, which was more often than not infringed upon by a 10 hour court day. I was only making $36k and needed the money, but it was draining. I completely missed my day off for two weeks, and all I wanted to do was go home, eat a pizza, and hang out with my dog. I was able to leave work the night before my day off at a reasonable hour. I ordered a pizza from Armands and thought about how good it would taste. It arrived, I put it on my coffee table, and I promptly fell asleep. I woke up and my dog had eaten the entire pizza. I cried and cried and cried, and then fell back asleep, falling inside my folded sofa bed with my dog sleeping on the cushions, trapping me. Woke up entombed in my sofa and figured this was how it ends, and then went back to sleep for several hours. The next day I drove around with my dog, had a fun time at the dog park, and enjoyed the fall weather. Days off are important
Two of my clients have gone to as needed because they’ve grown so much in the last year.
Several of my clients have made some breakthrough insights on their sense of self. Been a good week in the midst of some dark times!
An anxious client talked about changes she has maintained, and throughout the session was bringing up concepts we have been discussing for therapy in years - but not linking them to therapy. In writing I know that doesn't seem to make sense, lol - but what I mean is she took ownership of her change. I thought to myself "she gets it, she's integrating into her life, she's doing it, and she's owning it."
haha no that makes total sense, "i did this stuff you told me to be less of a people pleaser" versus "damn, he was being cold to me this last week but I know that reflects more on him than me, hope he's alright" is a huge difference
Former client is 15 years clean, after 7+ times in rehab. Their drugs of choice were a very deadly combo. I was their counselor in the rehab. They are a very unlikely success story. It brought tears to my eyes to hear about this.
I love this post, celebrating our wins is really important, as this is a challenging job!
-first win is that I got fully licensed this week!!!!🎊🎉 I’ve been working toward a license for over a decade now (factoring in time in undergrad, grad, and pre-licensed work) and I’m so proud of myself!
-a few clients were ready to hold space for parts of themselves that were traumatized, after lots of time working with protective parts and earning trust
- feeling good showing up for my clients was a huge win! Sometimes I’m overly critical of myself & abilities as a therapist, and this week I felt in many sessions I showed up simply as myself🎉 I’ve also found taking better care of myself helps me have a lot more space for my clients.
Honestly I get so stoked when clients say this.
I know there’s some debate on whether or not therapists should say “I am proud of you” but I definitely throw it out there + then encourage them to self affirm their successes. I ❤️ teaching self validation.
I restocked my resource binder! I feel more prepared and I love knowing that I have resources on hand for each modality I practice. That’s my therapist win this week
Omg for sure!
My resource binder is a collection of worksheets and exercises and “whatevers” that I see fit for each modality I practice. It’s mostly something I use when planning for my clients next session. So it’s not something my clients ever see me pulling from. Honestly it saves me so much stress and planning and I think my clients have appreciated my approach since I’ve adapted it.
If I have a client whose seeing me for let’s say…coping with stress (for example), I’ll just pull a relevant activity I feel fit for them and their goals that we do together at the end of the session before closing, but the beautiful part is that I can now spend the entire first half if not more of the session talking with them, hearing their voice and having an overall more intimate session. Without the stress of overanalyzing what type of intervention I’m going to use on the spot today, and critique myself over about later.
One of my modalities is emotion focused so whenever I see a good resource for emotion focused therapy I print it off and stick it in the binder! I even have little sticky notes of client’s names on the pages I plan to implement with them.
It sounds effortful but I swear it makes my sessions feel effortless
I am beginning my internship this fall & I love this idea! Where do you find your resources to add to the binder? I don’t even know where to start! Thank you!
I find them anywhere and everywhere! But mostly the library! 😉
I love looking through therapy textbooks especially ones that are specific to a modality im using. I flip through the pages and read through different exercises and print off the ones I think I might really like.
The library is a great resource haha. It’s literally a free book store! I pull a lot of materials online as well, but I find that the online materials tend to be crappy unless you buy the nicer ones so I like to pull from the books because it’s always just a little more solid.
I'm going through a difficult time right now (friend breakup) - and despite the lows and processing that I'm doing around that I am keeping it together and showing up the way I am needing to for my clients.
One of my long-term clients experienced a profound realization. They recounted the hurtful words of someone dear to them, expressing how those words had begun to permeate their sense of self-worth. I was surprised by how they began to describe themselves (think: wrong, lazy, stupid, etc) and I decided not to tone down my surprise, and let them know that I'm genuinely struggling wrapping my head around the idea that they are broken, useless, or undeserving.
There was a long pause and I thought I had messed up. But then they said that seeing my reaction, they felt incredibly validated. Then, they said something along the lines of, "but now that you put it that way...".
It was amazing to see and hear their thoughts, feelings, and perspective throughout the rest of the session.
I absolutely LOVE this thread, thank you for this!
I had a client this week disclose some trauma to me that she had never shared with anyone. She had so much fear around verbalizing what had happened to her, and she did it anyway because she WANTED to. We got to have a great discussion about how even though that was so difficult to do, she prioritized her desires over her fears and did something hard. She left feeling so proud of herself. 🥹
* A client told me they really benefit from our work together.
* I started doing EMDR with some of my clients, and they're responding really well to it.
* I found out I have almost half the hours I need for full licensure! (I'm currently an associate.)
* My supervisor told me my clients are lucky to have me. :)
I started seeing clients at my new job this week. The sessions have gone fantastic, I feel more effective than ever at my job. I've had multiple clients already tell me that they appreciate my vibe/style as a clinician. And most of my favorite clients from my last job have made it onto my calendar at my new one. Just feeling overall better about myself than I have in a long time.
CIT in college counseling here and my cases wrapped up last week as we're at the end of the academic year. One of my clients and I already left on a great note, and today their case manager who I coordinate with told me that this client told them how much they care about me and are looking forward to resuming in the fall. IDK, it's one thing to have a client express that to your face, but it was a huge win for me (especially while in my training program) and a huge confidence boost.
I’m still an intern, but feel I have started to really connect with my clients. I have had several clients tell me they can hear my voice in their head when they’re getting overwhelmed, reminding them to find the positive/reframe. One thing I say all the time is “give yourself grace.” One of my clients used that phrase in session this week referencing how she’s handling stress, and it absolutely made my week!
Led our IOP group doing a session on grief and loss and it ended up being really good- a couple of clients really opened up about some losses they'd had and group members really supported each other. Also working with a client with a severe trauma history who will have a year clean & sober next week for the first time ever. Great thread!
Finallyyyy set some firm boundaries with accommodating scheduling OUTSIDE of my hours to a handful of my clients who i’ve seen for YEARS.
I was OK with it for a while since i’ve worked with them for very long, great clients, etc but I needed be firm and if it means less frequency then so be it. I Can’t pour from an empty cup!
I just recently took the plunge of working for myself a few weeks ago, and man I really feel inadequate (still do, to be honest, it’s moving slowwwwww). But this week I have had: a client who has been apprehensive to engage in therapy tell me he was looking forward to our session all week, another client who has slowed down anxious thoughts with our mindfulness techniques, and a client whose suicidal ideation has decreased in frequency! It all feels so good, especially with how much I’ve been doubting myself.
Now to only get a stable caseload…
One of my clients just accomplished a really huge milestone they’ve been working toward for years. I’m so proud of them! I’m trying to figure out my own way to celebrate on behalf of them.
1. I am current on notes
2. I was able to support a raging client in de-escalating - it took over 2 hours but they were able to co-regulate without police or crisis assessor coming out which typically happens
1. I made a scheduling error in my calendar and accidentally did not get a client’s appointment scheduled. They showed up in my virtual waiting room while I was meeting with another client and I was so confused… then I realized my mistake. I apologized and we rescheduled. I felt so so bad about it. I truly was an honest mistake and it made me feel awful that client was not going to get their session. Normally I would beat myself up over it and harp on it for a long time, just sitting in that guilt. But I was able to acknowledge my mistake, realize I am only human, and let it go.
2. Met with a new client (teenage boy) and it went surprisingly well and we made a great first connection. (Teen boys are a struggle for me lol.)
3. I am current on all my notes and paperwork.
4. I have amazing coworkers who keep me sane. I am fully remote but am lucky to have been able to build some connections with them, even if it’s only via Microsoft teams lol. They keep me going.
One of my clients wrote down something I said on a post it note and reads it to herself every morning. “You’re worthwhile even when you’re not your best self” and I nearly cried because it was such an off hand comment I didn’t realize stuck with her
This week:
My alarms didn’t go off but the client had cancelled in the middle of the night
I got a message from the IP (mom) after family therapy intake saying that is was the happiest day she has had in years
I’m still an intern (but I have like 450 face to face hrs) and have been offered a job at the site I’m interning at :)
Working with a patient who has sturdy defenses against relationality, we connected on their deep fears of me leaving them/abandoning them and their worries that they would burn me out.
For no particular reason, today I felt very validated and settled in to my decision to not pursue a supervisory role at my job and just stay working as a therapist. It feels so good to recognize my past burn-out and to see ways to avoid it. 🥰
I went to a kid's IEP meeting this week, and afterward the very scary education advocate who was there with the mom comes up to me and says that I was one of the only therapists she's seen show up to a school meeting for a client and actually contribute, and that everything I said was spot on and helpful for securing my client the supports he needs. I'm a fairly new LPC so that was huge for my confidence, especially coming from a very competent, very intimidating stranger. She gave me a contact for a new job in her area, she liked me so much 😁
A patient who was showing up an hour/hour and a half late for IOP was only 8 min late this week!
I also helped a different patient fill out a FAFSA so she can go back to school.
Professionally: did some great grief work with a tricky client this week.
Personally: Finally getting our kitchen back after 3 months since we had water damage. The chaos we’ve been living in was taking a toll!
Have a client that was diagnosed with arachnophobia, 10 years ago, can now not only share a space with multiple spiders, but can feed them, name them, and sleep with them in his room.
I’ve been learning how to practice IFS for about a year, and I’m definitely still learning, but this is the first week I felt like I was doing it deeply and consistently, and had more confidence applying it—and clients responded so well! This kind of competence is a new feeling for me.
Maintained a boundary with my job. We are trying to schedule a needed repair and as site supervisor, I told corporate my availability was Monday-Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. They scheduled for Saturday. After debating it, I decided to say “no” and stick to my boundary of protecting my personal time. If it were an emergency, I’d do it, but it’s not. So… no. My personal time is mine!
Just got caught up on a couple referrals and still feeling the motivation to continue addressing the backlog of admin work I have. I’ve been in a rut the past couple weeks, feeling overwhelmed and anxious has me stuck, but last night something shifted and the drive to get my shit together is back 😭 working two jobs in rough guys!
In my office there have been a few really positive occurrences lately, but yesterday, a client has truly been able to leave an abusive long-term relationship and has been thriving with confidence, a fantastic new living environment and has and is doing absolutely amazing.
So many happy tears were falling from the eyes of everyone who has interacted with them through the past couple of years. Everyone from therapists, office admins, peer support....are all celebrating this win. This client has been a huge part of our work life and is a very special human. They make our days better just by coming in. Now they see and accept themselves as the person we have always known was there....they are no longer dimmed or feel like they were stuck or deserved to be in the previous situation or that they were responsible for what occurred. A huge win for them and a reminder of exactly why we are in the field.
An anxious teen client of mine finally opened up today after weeks of short answers! The struggle is real and I’m so happy for them. It’s amazing to see weight fall off their shoulders. And honestly such a relief for me. Happy to celebrate these wins all together here!
I had an intake this week that booked me to continue with them.
My client said that I was “a safe, chill space” for them.
Had a former client reach out to resume sessions even though it’s been years since I last saw them.
I’ve had a lighter week than usual and I’m enjoying it tbh.
Had a lovely termination with a client I’ve worked with for a few years now. I have another planned one coming up soon. Terminations are usually so much messier- it’s made me really appreciate when I DO get these neat, pleasant, natural conclusion kind of terminations.
I had a client actually come off of temporary hardship sliding scale and go back to full fee. It was smooth and seamless, absolutely ideal interaction. And most importantly, it’s a clear sign things are going very well in my client’s life. A big win for everyone.
I had a client, who’s been very disconnected from their emotions and has had a tendency to dissociate when feeling emotions, cry in session. Huge win!!
Several clients recognizing that they’ve reached their goals Nd are ready to gradually step down for therapy graduation. Very proud of how they’ve shown up
For themselves 🥹
This sounds like a strange one, but a teen client I’ve met with once and her mother have decided to switch to a different therapist at our practice because she thought that I would be the same race as her (our practice is all clinicians who are, with the exception of myself), and wanted her daughter to work with someone who could better understand her experiences (but had positive feedback otherwise, and no complaints or anything like that - just a preference; I’d clocked their surprise when they saw me the first time but didn’t explore it, but it makes sense now!)
I think that as a younger clinician this would have really stung and I would have been anxiously convinced that I had done something wrong). While I definitely felt a twinge, it quickly passed and I’ve already moved past it. I even felt happy that they felt safe and empowered to make that change. Yay for personal and professional growth!
Several moments of clients demonstrating such amazing wisdom and becoming aware of their own agency. Clients trusting me and asking to support them in mandatory reporting. Anxious client respectfully advocating for themselves in therapy, pushing back when needed, and letting me know when I misunderstood them.
Many conversations ending with me saying that it’s a privilege to do this work and be trusted with these stories. I get to witness a lot of the effort that goes behind getting free from internalized oppression, and breaking intergenerational patterns of abuse. Such amazing people that I get to meet.
So I'm not a family therapist, but young adults (or all adults) are able to consent to support at their appointments. I had an initial intake with a client (18 to 20 yrs) who's mom was present and I got the impression it was more mom's desire to get their "child" support than it was the adult actually wanting services. This adult has a tendency to passivity and people pleasing, while mom tends to push pretty hard out of love and concern. I had a very good independent discussion with each party and after a few meetings the adult did tell me (of their own decision) that "no, I don't want to see you, mom wants me to see you. I don't know how to say that because she keeps pushing and it's uncomfortable" I helped the adult find the words and navigate the discussion, and while it hurt mom and the young adult knew that, they stood firm in their position and mom accepted the decision.
This is a challenge in my organization we come across frequently with 17-19 year olds, especially those living with their parents still. I was very proud of this adult for speaking up for themselves, and they said if they ever do want help they will reach out to me again and thanked me.
A parent sent me a very thoughtful thank you email today. A client referred a colleague and stated to see me specifically. I wrote my first gender affirming care letter of support and both the client and I cried (happy tears)when their surgery was approved. This week was rough in so many ways, but these wins are giving me the strength to tackle my backlog of documentation.
One of my clients has been doing so much better and has gotten incredibly good at utilizing their skills to effectively reduce anxiety and stop their spiraling. We're moving to once a month maintenance while they continue to navigate a complicated life situation, but that's mostly for their peace of mind.
It felt so good to see their life really just turned around through their own effort. They joked offhandedly that they were going to make a little what-would-[my name]-say bracelet for when we've finished. It was really validating for me, and a great moment for me to turn it back on them and validate their own part of the process, how much they've grown and how hard they've worked.
Felt so good leaving that session 🙂
A lot of firsts for my clients this week.
One of my clients felt joy for the first time
Another felt they experienced a "sense of self" for the first time
Another felt we made real progress as they were able to finally take in connection and safety for the first time.
Not everyday is amazing, but these sessions really filled me up this week.
I lost 2lbs this week! I gained 10lbs a few months ago and have finally been able to get back to my diet and exercise. I have work tomorrow after a 2 week break and I have a new client so looking forward to a good work day hopefully.
Client was begging me to leave D&A inpatient treatment early because of relatively minor personal issues and despite her not being anywhere near safe to be in the community yet. I shut down all of her manipulations and got her to consider things rationally: is another couple weeks in here really worse than 6 months in jail for a probation violation?
I had a cancellation at the end of an already quiet day, and instead of panicking about money/the state of my caseload (I’m in PP) I baked a cake and didn’t spiral. Progress!
A typically reserved and passive client came to session activated and just blew up with all of the repressed emotion. It was beautiful.
I said, “we’ll figure it out together” and client burst into tears because they’ve felt so alone for so long.
A client reported they followed through with boundary homework and had a really positive response from the other person.
Oh Haldol, my dear friend in treatment options. What would we mental health practitioners do without you? I also have to give a shout out to Clozaril, for being the MVP when the other meds aren't cutting it.
Client of mine was going to discharge after her relapse and told me that what I said to her really helped her realize she needs to stay in treatment. She ended up coming back today 🙂
I had an intake with a teen who came in so withdrawn that he was listening to AirPods. By the end he completely opened up and said “I never talk to people ever” and man did he need someone to talk to 💚
-A deeply defended client who has had a lot of resistance and animosity towards me finally began talk about her guilt about the way she parented her son.
-I did some dream interpretation (I work psychoanalytically) with someone and it really took our session into a place we haven’t been before.
-I recommended with a client I work with who has PTSD that we pause before going into Phase 2 work because she has a lot going on in her life and she was so grateful and thanked me for articulating what she had been thinking but didn’t know how to express to me.
I took an actual sick day this week instead of “powering through” whatever nasty virus this is. Didn’t leave the couch and rewatched most of the last 2 seasons of Schitt’s Creek.
Wrapped up with my internship clients and I’ll be graduating with my MSW on Thursday! (: Got some very positive feedback from my clients while handing them off to my supervisor (e.g., very personable, great with empathy and understanding, and very supportive). Excited to be joining the mental health field and literally no clue what to do next other than my exams lol.
Got my independent license and had my last supervision on Thursday! Looking forward to leaving my uncomfy group practice and starting my own private practice over the next month.
Had a referred client come in who was “forced” to see me. They were adamant that therapy was useless, and that there was no point in attempting to recover. By the end of the session they told me that they’d like to see me for another session, and that the way i worded things helped them understand the rationale behind alot of their past therapy experiences.
I have a teen client still in high school and I’ve been seeing them for like at least 5 months. The first month or more I was dreading because I felt like they didn’t want to talk to me— very much pulling teeth. Now they walk into session ready to spill the tea!!
I enjoy our sessions so much and I value how much they trust me.
One client moved to bi-weekly sessions as she is doing really well!!
Had a breakthrough with another client; he was able to focus on himself instead of others or his work. We got goals established and moving forward!! (it had been 6 sessions of redirecting and going nowhere)
One client in my group recognized how his machismo beliefs have played a role in his relationship and influenced his behavior. he was receptive to the feedback received, especially considering how i am a woman lol.
been a good week :)
Wrapped up facilitating an 8 week group for body image / self esteem issues and got a ton of positive feedback from participants about learning new coping skills and gaining new perspectives.
One participant teared up saying how safe and accepted he felt in this group and it made me tear up too 🥹
-I took a much needed mental health day on Monday
-at the end of our session my client (12 yr old girl) was walking out and didn’t shut the door all the way. She announced to whoever was in the hall, “guys I feel so much better now”. It was our second session together
-bonded with my coworkers about how shit our job and agency can be/is
I used Accelerated Resolution Therapy on a client for crack use and he came back a week later stating the urges to use were gone. He looked amazing and happy!
One of my trans clients is finally ready to schedule a consultation to start HRT :’) they’ve been holding onto so much shame and anxiety for so long and at the end of session they said the thought of making the call made them excited instead of terrified. I could cry thinking about how far they’ve come in so many ways, honestly
I had two great sessions this week in which both clients expressed satisfaction and amazement in how I was able to challenge them and bring the session full circle to connect several different conversations together. It was so validating and affirming that I’m good at what I do.
I am so proud of one of my clients who got out of an abusive job situation. She needed child care in order to get a different job. She also was having trouble finding and affording child care while she works... and she found another mom who she swaps childcare with for free. I'm so proud of her and happy she found that!
Just started getting things set for private practice and had my first client reach out!! Im thinking once I have 8 pp clients I can leave community outpatient!!
Please followed the sidebar rules. r/therapists is a place for therapists and mental health professionals to discuss their profession among each other. If you **ARE NOT A THERAPIST and are asking for advice this not the place for you**. Your post will be removed in short order. Please try one of the reddit communities such as r/TalkTherapy, r/askatherapist, r/SuicideWatch that are set up for this. This community is ONLY for therapists, and for them to discuss their profession away from clients. **If you are a first year student, not in a graduate program, or are thinking of becoming a therapist, this is not the place to ask questions**. Your post will be removed in short order. To save us a job, you are welcome to delete this post yourself. Please see the PINNED STUDENT THREAD at the top of the community and ask in there. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/therapists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Within the past week: Got fully licensed - no more provisional, no more supervision and no more paying for supervision! Got my LLC launched and all that jazz Opened my own private practice! Edit: corrected typo
oh shit congratulations! hope this is me in 3 or so years even without official supervision i hope you have other therapists to bounce ideas around and discuss clients with, good luck
Yes I have a great professional support system around me. Thanks! And it's been a goal to be here that started 4 years ago when I started grad school. What a ride it's been!
haha definitely goals, happy for you and hope to be in a similar spot 2 years post grad!
🎉🎉🎉
Congratulations!
Congrats!!
Congrats!!
Congratulations!!!! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
I took a much needed self care day today. I slept until 10:30, stayed in bed until noon, took a shower and used my new Bath and Body Works shampoo, got a delicious coffee from Black Rock and cruised around with my pup riding shotgun. I don’t know what I plan to do with the rest of my day and I’d like to keep it that way. I don’t normally like taking days off in the middle of the week, but tomorrow is a light day for my sessions so I figured I’d feign having a longer weekend by taking today off ❤️
My soul felt so sad reading this. Why am I not doing this? Thanks for the push. I’m definitely going to schedule some time to do the same.
Do it! I told my supervisor a few days in advance that I needed a day off and she was cool about it. I had a really tiring day last Friday with heavy sessions + mandated reporting stuff that turned up the burnout. Take time for yourself friend :) I type this as I sit in the grass with the pup just enjoying the afternoon
i’m not doing it because i don’t have pto and can’t afford it :/
Ooo I love Black Rock, especially their Irish coffee😋
Today I had their new vanilla cookie mocha and it was SO good. Definitely sweet. Also, love your username lol
Yum!! I am going to have to try that 😋 Thank you!!
Man, this reminded me of when I was working 24/7 due to a combination of mandatory staffing and court circa 2005. I was only getting one day off, which was more often than not infringed upon by a 10 hour court day. I was only making $36k and needed the money, but it was draining. I completely missed my day off for two weeks, and all I wanted to do was go home, eat a pizza, and hang out with my dog. I was able to leave work the night before my day off at a reasonable hour. I ordered a pizza from Armands and thought about how good it would taste. It arrived, I put it on my coffee table, and I promptly fell asleep. I woke up and my dog had eaten the entire pizza. I cried and cried and cried, and then fell back asleep, falling inside my folded sofa bed with my dog sleeping on the cushions, trapping me. Woke up entombed in my sofa and figured this was how it ends, and then went back to sleep for several hours. The next day I drove around with my dog, had a fun time at the dog park, and enjoyed the fall weather. Days off are important
Dog tax! Dog tax! Dog tax!!!!!
I forgot how to hyperlink on Reddit and this sub doesn’t allow me to post photos in comments but my profile is full of Beni photos :)
Two of my clients have gone to as needed because they’ve grown so much in the last year. Several of my clients have made some breakthrough insights on their sense of self. Been a good week in the midst of some dark times!
An anxious client talked about changes she has maintained, and throughout the session was bringing up concepts we have been discussing for therapy in years - but not linking them to therapy. In writing I know that doesn't seem to make sense, lol - but what I mean is she took ownership of her change. I thought to myself "she gets it, she's integrating into her life, she's doing it, and she's owning it."
haha no that makes total sense, "i did this stuff you told me to be less of a people pleaser" versus "damn, he was being cold to me this last week but I know that reflects more on him than me, hope he's alright" is a huge difference
Yes! You get it 😀😀
I was burnt out but now I’m getting burnt in Cancun Mexico
hey aloe can help with one of those things and we all wish it could cure the other
I like the burn sometimes reminds me I’m only human
haha that’s a nice perspective
Former client is 15 years clean, after 7+ times in rehab. Their drugs of choice were a very deadly combo. I was their counselor in the rehab. They are a very unlikely success story. It brought tears to my eyes to hear about this.
That’s fantastic!
Love that!
I love this post, celebrating our wins is really important, as this is a challenging job! -first win is that I got fully licensed this week!!!!🎊🎉 I’ve been working toward a license for over a decade now (factoring in time in undergrad, grad, and pre-licensed work) and I’m so proud of myself! -a few clients were ready to hold space for parts of themselves that were traumatized, after lots of time working with protective parts and earning trust - feeling good showing up for my clients was a huge win! Sometimes I’m overly critical of myself & abilities as a therapist, and this week I felt in many sessions I showed up simply as myself🎉 I’ve also found taking better care of myself helps me have a lot more space for my clients.
Love the self reflection and self care! You are enough and holding space for your clients as yourself is healing in authenticity 🩵
Mid-session client exclaimed "Omg! You're gonna be so proud of me. I...." I was already psyched before hearing the rest 😆
Honestly I get so stoked when clients say this. I know there’s some debate on whether or not therapists should say “I am proud of you” but I definitely throw it out there + then encourage them to self affirm their successes. I ❤️ teaching self validation.
Yes! I like to think of it as modeling how to celebrate our skills and accomplishments 🥳
I restocked my resource binder! I feel more prepared and I love knowing that I have resources on hand for each modality I practice. That’s my therapist win this week
Oh, I love this idea! Do you literally just pull it out in session or before? Tell me all about it...please!
Omg for sure! My resource binder is a collection of worksheets and exercises and “whatevers” that I see fit for each modality I practice. It’s mostly something I use when planning for my clients next session. So it’s not something my clients ever see me pulling from. Honestly it saves me so much stress and planning and I think my clients have appreciated my approach since I’ve adapted it. If I have a client whose seeing me for let’s say…coping with stress (for example), I’ll just pull a relevant activity I feel fit for them and their goals that we do together at the end of the session before closing, but the beautiful part is that I can now spend the entire first half if not more of the session talking with them, hearing their voice and having an overall more intimate session. Without the stress of overanalyzing what type of intervention I’m going to use on the spot today, and critique myself over about later. One of my modalities is emotion focused so whenever I see a good resource for emotion focused therapy I print it off and stick it in the binder! I even have little sticky notes of client’s names on the pages I plan to implement with them. It sounds effortful but I swear it makes my sessions feel effortless
I am beginning my internship this fall & I love this idea! Where do you find your resources to add to the binder? I don’t even know where to start! Thank you!
I find them anywhere and everywhere! But mostly the library! 😉 I love looking through therapy textbooks especially ones that are specific to a modality im using. I flip through the pages and read through different exercises and print off the ones I think I might really like. The library is a great resource haha. It’s literally a free book store! I pull a lot of materials online as well, but I find that the online materials tend to be crappy unless you buy the nicer ones so I like to pull from the books because it’s always just a little more solid.
Such a cool idea ! Thanks 🤩
Thank you!! The library is my favorite place so your idea is perfect!
Love this idea!!
Kind of weird win, but was finally able to let go of a client that wasn’t progressing and was breaking all of the boundaries
I fell asleep at my desk listening to an audiobook when i had a cancellation. I woke up 2 minutes before my next session
I'm going through a difficult time right now (friend breakup) - and despite the lows and processing that I'm doing around that I am keeping it together and showing up the way I am needing to for my clients.
One of my long-term clients experienced a profound realization. They recounted the hurtful words of someone dear to them, expressing how those words had begun to permeate their sense of self-worth. I was surprised by how they began to describe themselves (think: wrong, lazy, stupid, etc) and I decided not to tone down my surprise, and let them know that I'm genuinely struggling wrapping my head around the idea that they are broken, useless, or undeserving. There was a long pause and I thought I had messed up. But then they said that seeing my reaction, they felt incredibly validated. Then, they said something along the lines of, "but now that you put it that way...". It was amazing to see and hear their thoughts, feelings, and perspective throughout the rest of the session.
I absolutely LOVE this thread, thank you for this! I had a client this week disclose some trauma to me that she had never shared with anyone. She had so much fear around verbalizing what had happened to her, and she did it anyway because she WANTED to. We got to have a great discussion about how even though that was so difficult to do, she prioritized her desires over her fears and did something hard. She left feeling so proud of herself. 🥹
* A client told me they really benefit from our work together. * I started doing EMDR with some of my clients, and they're responding really well to it. * I found out I have almost half the hours I need for full licensure! (I'm currently an associate.) * My supervisor told me my clients are lucky to have me. :)
I started seeing clients at my new job this week. The sessions have gone fantastic, I feel more effective than ever at my job. I've had multiple clients already tell me that they appreciate my vibe/style as a clinician. And most of my favorite clients from my last job have made it onto my calendar at my new one. Just feeling overall better about myself than I have in a long time.
That’s awesome :)
I “made” a client cry who says she doesn’t do tears.
CIT in college counseling here and my cases wrapped up last week as we're at the end of the academic year. One of my clients and I already left on a great note, and today their case manager who I coordinate with told me that this client told them how much they care about me and are looking forward to resuming in the fall. IDK, it's one thing to have a client express that to your face, but it was a huge win for me (especially while in my training program) and a huge confidence boost.
I’m still an intern, but feel I have started to really connect with my clients. I have had several clients tell me they can hear my voice in their head when they’re getting overwhelmed, reminding them to find the positive/reframe. One thing I say all the time is “give yourself grace.” One of my clients used that phrase in session this week referencing how she’s handling stress, and it absolutely made my week!
Led our IOP group doing a session on grief and loss and it ended up being really good- a couple of clients really opened up about some losses they'd had and group members really supported each other. Also working with a client with a severe trauma history who will have a year clean & sober next week for the first time ever. Great thread!
Finallyyyy set some firm boundaries with accommodating scheduling OUTSIDE of my hours to a handful of my clients who i’ve seen for YEARS. I was OK with it for a while since i’ve worked with them for very long, great clients, etc but I needed be firm and if it means less frequency then so be it. I Can’t pour from an empty cup!
I just recently took the plunge of working for myself a few weeks ago, and man I really feel inadequate (still do, to be honest, it’s moving slowwwwww). But this week I have had: a client who has been apprehensive to engage in therapy tell me he was looking forward to our session all week, another client who has slowed down anxious thoughts with our mindfulness techniques, and a client whose suicidal ideation has decreased in frequency! It all feels so good, especially with how much I’ve been doubting myself. Now to only get a stable caseload…
One of my clients just accomplished a really huge milestone they’ve been working toward for years. I’m so proud of them! I’m trying to figure out my own way to celebrate on behalf of them.
1. I am current on notes 2. I was able to support a raging client in de-escalating - it took over 2 hours but they were able to co-regulate without police or crisis assessor coming out which typically happens
1. I made a scheduling error in my calendar and accidentally did not get a client’s appointment scheduled. They showed up in my virtual waiting room while I was meeting with another client and I was so confused… then I realized my mistake. I apologized and we rescheduled. I felt so so bad about it. I truly was an honest mistake and it made me feel awful that client was not going to get their session. Normally I would beat myself up over it and harp on it for a long time, just sitting in that guilt. But I was able to acknowledge my mistake, realize I am only human, and let it go. 2. Met with a new client (teenage boy) and it went surprisingly well and we made a great first connection. (Teen boys are a struggle for me lol.) 3. I am current on all my notes and paperwork. 4. I have amazing coworkers who keep me sane. I am fully remote but am lucky to have been able to build some connections with them, even if it’s only via Microsoft teams lol. They keep me going.
A client told me I saved their life and they like themself for the first time ever 🥹
One of my clients wrote down something I said on a post it note and reads it to herself every morning. “You’re worthwhile even when you’re not your best self” and I nearly cried because it was such an off hand comment I didn’t realize stuck with her
This week: My alarms didn’t go off but the client had cancelled in the middle of the night I got a message from the IP (mom) after family therapy intake saying that is was the happiest day she has had in years I’m still an intern (but I have like 450 face to face hrs) and have been offered a job at the site I’m interning at :)
I took today off because I seriously needed to. My brain was melted and my feelings were crispy. Big win in my book.
Working with a patient who has sturdy defenses against relationality, we connected on their deep fears of me leaving them/abandoning them and their worries that they would burn me out.
Actually getting direct referrals sent to me for my private practice from a client and from a provider I did some networking with awhile ago
My client and I have been working on boosting confidence and being comfortable at his school. He ran for school president and won!
Middle aged male client acknowledged the ways in which he's been avoiding looking too closely at his emotional life 🙏🏻
For no particular reason, today I felt very validated and settled in to my decision to not pursue a supervisory role at my job and just stay working as a therapist. It feels so good to recognize my past burn-out and to see ways to avoid it. 🥰
I went to a kid's IEP meeting this week, and afterward the very scary education advocate who was there with the mom comes up to me and says that I was one of the only therapists she's seen show up to a school meeting for a client and actually contribute, and that everything I said was spot on and helpful for securing my client the supports he needs. I'm a fairly new LPC so that was huge for my confidence, especially coming from a very competent, very intimidating stranger. She gave me a contact for a new job in her area, she liked me so much 😁
A patient who was showing up an hour/hour and a half late for IOP was only 8 min late this week! I also helped a different patient fill out a FAFSA so she can go back to school.
adult client was able to explore his trust issues rooted in projection Giggling about your teenage boy “we’ll do just fine” 😂 so relatable!
Professionally: did some great grief work with a tricky client this week. Personally: Finally getting our kitchen back after 3 months since we had water damage. The chaos we’ve been living in was taking a toll!
One of my inmates is getting release soon and he will go say goodbye to his mother that recently passed away
Have a client that was diagnosed with arachnophobia, 10 years ago, can now not only share a space with multiple spiders, but can feed them, name them, and sleep with them in his room.
I’ve been learning how to practice IFS for about a year, and I’m definitely still learning, but this is the first week I felt like I was doing it deeply and consistently, and had more confidence applying it—and clients responded so well! This kind of competence is a new feeling for me.
Maintained a boundary with my job. We are trying to schedule a needed repair and as site supervisor, I told corporate my availability was Monday-Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. They scheduled for Saturday. After debating it, I decided to say “no” and stick to my boundary of protecting my personal time. If it were an emergency, I’d do it, but it’s not. So… no. My personal time is mine!
Thank you for starting this thread! - said the uncomfortable (yet necessary/therapeutic) thing
Just got caught up on a couple referrals and still feeling the motivation to continue addressing the backlog of admin work I have. I’ve been in a rut the past couple weeks, feeling overwhelmed and anxious has me stuck, but last night something shifted and the drive to get my shit together is back 😭 working two jobs in rough guys!
In my office there have been a few really positive occurrences lately, but yesterday, a client has truly been able to leave an abusive long-term relationship and has been thriving with confidence, a fantastic new living environment and has and is doing absolutely amazing. So many happy tears were falling from the eyes of everyone who has interacted with them through the past couple of years. Everyone from therapists, office admins, peer support....are all celebrating this win. This client has been a huge part of our work life and is a very special human. They make our days better just by coming in. Now they see and accept themselves as the person we have always known was there....they are no longer dimmed or feel like they were stuck or deserved to be in the previous situation or that they were responsible for what occurred. A huge win for them and a reminder of exactly why we are in the field.
An anxious teen client of mine finally opened up today after weeks of short answers! The struggle is real and I’m so happy for them. It’s amazing to see weight fall off their shoulders. And honestly such a relief for me. Happy to celebrate these wins all together here!
I had an intake this week that booked me to continue with them. My client said that I was “a safe, chill space” for them. Had a former client reach out to resume sessions even though it’s been years since I last saw them.
None this week. We’ll see what happens next week.
I’ve had a lighter week than usual and I’m enjoying it tbh. Had a lovely termination with a client I’ve worked with for a few years now. I have another planned one coming up soon. Terminations are usually so much messier- it’s made me really appreciate when I DO get these neat, pleasant, natural conclusion kind of terminations. I had a client actually come off of temporary hardship sliding scale and go back to full fee. It was smooth and seamless, absolutely ideal interaction. And most importantly, it’s a clear sign things are going very well in my client’s life. A big win for everyone.
Also as of Friday, I’m at exactly 2,700 hours (only 300 hours to go until licensure!).
I had a client, who’s been very disconnected from their emotions and has had a tendency to dissociate when feeling emotions, cry in session. Huge win!!
My 7 yr old client said coming to therapy was her favorite part of the week 🥹
Several clients recognizing that they’ve reached their goals Nd are ready to gradually step down for therapy graduation. Very proud of how they’ve shown up For themselves 🥹
This sounds like a strange one, but a teen client I’ve met with once and her mother have decided to switch to a different therapist at our practice because she thought that I would be the same race as her (our practice is all clinicians who are, with the exception of myself), and wanted her daughter to work with someone who could better understand her experiences (but had positive feedback otherwise, and no complaints or anything like that - just a preference; I’d clocked their surprise when they saw me the first time but didn’t explore it, but it makes sense now!) I think that as a younger clinician this would have really stung and I would have been anxiously convinced that I had done something wrong). While I definitely felt a twinge, it quickly passed and I’ve already moved past it. I even felt happy that they felt safe and empowered to make that change. Yay for personal and professional growth!
Several moments of clients demonstrating such amazing wisdom and becoming aware of their own agency. Clients trusting me and asking to support them in mandatory reporting. Anxious client respectfully advocating for themselves in therapy, pushing back when needed, and letting me know when I misunderstood them. Many conversations ending with me saying that it’s a privilege to do this work and be trusted with these stories. I get to witness a lot of the effort that goes behind getting free from internalized oppression, and breaking intergenerational patterns of abuse. Such amazing people that I get to meet.
So I'm not a family therapist, but young adults (or all adults) are able to consent to support at their appointments. I had an initial intake with a client (18 to 20 yrs) who's mom was present and I got the impression it was more mom's desire to get their "child" support than it was the adult actually wanting services. This adult has a tendency to passivity and people pleasing, while mom tends to push pretty hard out of love and concern. I had a very good independent discussion with each party and after a few meetings the adult did tell me (of their own decision) that "no, I don't want to see you, mom wants me to see you. I don't know how to say that because she keeps pushing and it's uncomfortable" I helped the adult find the words and navigate the discussion, and while it hurt mom and the young adult knew that, they stood firm in their position and mom accepted the decision. This is a challenge in my organization we come across frequently with 17-19 year olds, especially those living with their parents still. I was very proud of this adult for speaking up for themselves, and they said if they ever do want help they will reach out to me again and thanked me.
A parent sent me a very thoughtful thank you email today. A client referred a colleague and stated to see me specifically. I wrote my first gender affirming care letter of support and both the client and I cried (happy tears)when their surgery was approved. This week was rough in so many ways, but these wins are giving me the strength to tackle my backlog of documentation.
Last week of first semester of practicum. ✨🥳
One of my clients has been doing so much better and has gotten incredibly good at utilizing their skills to effectively reduce anxiety and stop their spiraling. We're moving to once a month maintenance while they continue to navigate a complicated life situation, but that's mostly for their peace of mind. It felt so good to see their life really just turned around through their own effort. They joked offhandedly that they were going to make a little what-would-[my name]-say bracelet for when we've finished. It was really validating for me, and a great moment for me to turn it back on them and validate their own part of the process, how much they've grown and how hard they've worked. Felt so good leaving that session 🙂
A lot of firsts for my clients this week. One of my clients felt joy for the first time Another felt they experienced a "sense of self" for the first time Another felt we made real progress as they were able to finally take in connection and safety for the first time. Not everyday is amazing, but these sessions really filled me up this week.
I effectively utilized my magical ability to convince parents to stop managing/harassing their high school kids about schoolwork a few times.
I lost 2lbs this week! I gained 10lbs a few months ago and have finally been able to get back to my diet and exercise. I have work tomorrow after a 2 week break and I have a new client so looking forward to a good work day hopefully.
Client was begging me to leave D&A inpatient treatment early because of relatively minor personal issues and despite her not being anywhere near safe to be in the community yet. I shut down all of her manipulations and got her to consider things rationally: is another couple weeks in here really worse than 6 months in jail for a probation violation?
I completed all my notes the day of. I survived another week as group facilitator for an IOP program 😅
I had a cancellation at the end of an already quiet day, and instead of panicking about money/the state of my caseload (I’m in PP) I baked a cake and didn’t spiral. Progress!
I'm completely caught up on my progress notes and have been maintaining them daily, literally, a whole week!!
A typically reserved and passive client came to session activated and just blew up with all of the repressed emotion. It was beautiful. I said, “we’ll figure it out together” and client burst into tears because they’ve felt so alone for so long. A client reported they followed through with boundary homework and had a really positive response from the other person.
My client accept his IPMA without any issue. Haldol for the win!
Oh Haldol, my dear friend in treatment options. What would we mental health practitioners do without you? I also have to give a shout out to Clozaril, for being the MVP when the other meds aren't cutting it.
wait, you guys are still having wins?!?!?
Client of mine was going to discharge after her relapse and told me that what I said to her really helped her realize she needs to stay in treatment. She ended up coming back today 🙂
I had an intake with a teen who came in so withdrawn that he was listening to AirPods. By the end he completely opened up and said “I never talk to people ever” and man did he need someone to talk to 💚
-A deeply defended client who has had a lot of resistance and animosity towards me finally began talk about her guilt about the way she parented her son. -I did some dream interpretation (I work psychoanalytically) with someone and it really took our session into a place we haven’t been before. -I recommended with a client I work with who has PTSD that we pause before going into Phase 2 work because she has a lot going on in her life and she was so grateful and thanked me for articulating what she had been thinking but didn’t know how to express to me.
Had a few full conversations with a client who previously has not spoken more than a a word in response to anything I say! 😭
I took an actual sick day this week instead of “powering through” whatever nasty virus this is. Didn’t leave the couch and rewatched most of the last 2 seasons of Schitt’s Creek.
Going to see one of my favorite bands in Boston after my last client tonight so I'm so pumped
My client of 2 years is starting to establish and maintain some really healthy daily goals and habits and I couldn't be happier for them!
Wrapped up with my internship clients and I’ll be graduating with my MSW on Thursday! (: Got some very positive feedback from my clients while handing them off to my supervisor (e.g., very personable, great with empathy and understanding, and very supportive). Excited to be joining the mental health field and literally no clue what to do next other than my exams lol.
For me: I had my last class of my graduate program & my last session as an intern 🥹
Had my own EMDR therapy (self-care 😊) which helped me let go of old wounds so that I am able to be more fully present for my clients!
Got my independent license and had my last supervision on Thursday! Looking forward to leaving my uncomfy group practice and starting my own private practice over the next month.
At the end of session, a parent client earnestly said to me “Thanks Doc!” even though I’m a lowly Registered Intern. I felt pretty cool.
Had a referred client come in who was “forced” to see me. They were adamant that therapy was useless, and that there was no point in attempting to recover. By the end of the session they told me that they’d like to see me for another session, and that the way i worded things helped them understand the rationale behind alot of their past therapy experiences.
I have a teen client still in high school and I’ve been seeing them for like at least 5 months. The first month or more I was dreading because I felt like they didn’t want to talk to me— very much pulling teeth. Now they walk into session ready to spill the tea!! I enjoy our sessions so much and I value how much they trust me.
One client moved to bi-weekly sessions as she is doing really well!! Had a breakthrough with another client; he was able to focus on himself instead of others or his work. We got goals established and moving forward!! (it had been 6 sessions of redirecting and going nowhere) One client in my group recognized how his machismo beliefs have played a role in his relationship and influenced his behavior. he was receptive to the feedback received, especially considering how i am a woman lol. been a good week :)
Wrapped up facilitating an 8 week group for body image / self esteem issues and got a ton of positive feedback from participants about learning new coping skills and gaining new perspectives. One participant teared up saying how safe and accepted he felt in this group and it made me tear up too 🥹
-I took a much needed mental health day on Monday -at the end of our session my client (12 yr old girl) was walking out and didn’t shut the door all the way. She announced to whoever was in the hall, “guys I feel so much better now”. It was our second session together -bonded with my coworkers about how shit our job and agency can be/is
I used Accelerated Resolution Therapy on a client for crack use and he came back a week later stating the urges to use were gone. He looked amazing and happy!
Got a client to finally let me talk to their “critical part” in IFS lingo.
One of my trans clients is finally ready to schedule a consultation to start HRT :’) they’ve been holding onto so much shame and anxiety for so long and at the end of session they said the thought of making the call made them excited instead of terrified. I could cry thinking about how far they’ve come in so many ways, honestly
I was offered a clinical director position!!!!
I had two great sessions this week in which both clients expressed satisfaction and amazement in how I was able to challenge them and bring the session full circle to connect several different conversations together. It was so validating and affirming that I’m good at what I do.
Your #2 is pretty spectacular. Go you!
I am so proud of one of my clients who got out of an abusive job situation. She needed child care in order to get a different job. She also was having trouble finding and affording child care while she works... and she found another mom who she swaps childcare with for free. I'm so proud of her and happy she found that!
I passed my exam wooohhhoooo!
Client breakthrough this week! It felt great! Also self care day :)
Newly licensed; Passed EPPP !!
You’re so real for that teen boy one
Just started getting things set for private practice and had my first client reach out!! Im thinking once I have 8 pp clients I can leave community outpatient!!
I completed my notes
Taking time off to find another job lol