Recently, I had an amusing exchange with one of my family members. The two of us usually get along like peas in a pod, but we had a moment. While discussing my recent foray into a Costco membership, I told him that I wasn’t going to continue my membership next year because I would end up with a crap ton of whatever impulsive purchases I made while shopping there. Like, seriously, who wants 12 permanent markers? I needed one and thought…why not? They are handy to have around. But seriously, it will take me forever to go through that many. He looked at me and in his most passive-aggressive, condescending voice said, “ Ooooo, but I thought you were a therapist….I thought you didn’t have problems like that.” I giggled it off, but he kept on with the jokes. Luckily, I am easy going and I just let it ride. I had more important things to do, like eat the Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza I had just picked up for our family gathering!
This is something many therapists experience with their family, friends, and clients. The idea that we are perfect, all-knowing beings who make no mistakes in life, and can lead you to the path of pureness and vitality simply through being around our flawless presence. NEWFLASH! I am just not that awesome! Oh don’t get me wrong, I feel pretty darn cool most days, but achieving perfection is a myth. So what exactly is being a therapist all about? Being a therapist usually means that a person went to school for 6-8 years and received a ton of supervised experience after school. This all happens before we are allowed out on our own in the world. I love my job! I get to be with people all day and that works for me. I love solving problems and supporting people and I have gotten a lot of education along the way to understand the ins and outs of what makes people tick, how to diagnose someone if they have a mental illness, and how to treat people effectively and with compassion. Am I perfect? Not by a long shot. Do I sometimes analyze the people around me? Sure do! Do I keep that stuff to myself? Yup! I am just a person who wants to enjoy life and I don’t necessarily want to wear my work hat 24/7. It is a job that I love and I want to be 100% on my game when I am with you. In order to do that, we therapists try our best to focus on self-care and taking our work hats off around family and friends. Therapists are people too, and I know I feel honored to do the important work that I do. Gaining the trust of a person to help aid them through their difficult time is incredibly rewarding. We just want you to be yourself and not put us up on a pedestal. So the next time you run into a therapist, stay calm and remember, we eat pizza too!Pivotal Counseling Center has therapists with a variety of specialties. We have locations in Woodstock, Illinois, and Lake in the Hills, Illinois. If you are in need of someone to help, please consider giving us a call at (815) 345-3400.
