For the past few years, I having been working as a counselor at a local group practice. I am so grateful for them and all they have done for me.
But many have asked me now, so why leave?
I never set out to own a private practice. Business was not what I went to school for.
Before COVID-19 hit I was working long days and seeing as many clients as I could schedule. Then came COVID-19, and I had little to no margin of extra to give. And I had to move everything to online treatment.
Through this process I have spent a lot of time in prayer, calling out to God and letting Him know all of my concerns about work. I had begun working on a book and hadn’t had much time to write, and I had tried to be intentional to pray for my clients and to care for them the best I could but I was just empty.
I felt God leading me to take a step back, to intentionally limit the number of people I would see so that I could care for myself and my clients in more holistic ways. I knew God was calling me to be filled so that I could be completely present and available for the people I sit with on a daily basis.
But God, how do I pay my bills if I don’t see all these people? I began to ask God the practical questions of life, and in a way that only God can, He answered.
Part of that answer involves the clients I take on.
If you were to sit down with me for a (free) initial consultation, you would find that I see counseling as a commitment not only for me but also for each client. I see counseling not only as a way to alleviate unwanted symptoms but as much more, as a way to let God work in us and change us more into His image. Counseling is a commitment to growth. Therefore my clients sign a three-month contract, agreeing to come weekly or bi-weekly and have made the choice to make growing in their interpersonal relationship a priority. Every three months we will sit back and evaluate how they have grown and if this is still a priority to them. My prayer is that through doing things differently my clients are able to do more than minimize the impact of anxiety or depression on their life but they are also able to understand the root of the problem and see God do miraculous things in their life. I know that God works in and through us when we ask HIm to and when we give him the control and space to do so in our lives.
Counseling is a choice to grow, to let the uncomfortable move us forward in life in such a way that when we look back that uncomfortable thing is one of the best things that could have been there because it made us better people. Thus, counseling is a commitment, and will not fulfill it’s purpose in one’s life if it’s done haphazardly. We have to make time for it in our schedules, in our finances, and in our lives, if it will be the transforming force it can be.
This can be hard, but hard things are worth doing!
Maybe you are reading this blog because you know me. Maybe someone suggested me as a counselor to you. Maybe you just found me on google or Facebook.
I’m glad you are here.
I hope that in some way God will use me to inspire, to uplift, and to let you know that you are not alone.
If there is anything I can do for you, reach out, let me know. Maybe you just want to talk. Maybe something really hard is happening in life, I’d be honored to sit with you through the pain.
I hope that I’ve answered some questions, and maybe I’ve raised a few also.
