Therapy is my calling, but writing is nurturing my soul.

 

Like many of my colleagues that feel deeply connected to the practice of psychotherapy, I believe that I was built for this kind of work. When in the therapy room, I feel capable, confident, and clear – this is what I have always done; this is what I do.  When I attend trainings on methods and ideas that spark my interest, I feel more excited than anytime else in my life, ever. Psychotherapy is my thing. I love it and I’m good at it. 

For a very long time, this was enough for me. My work created a distinctive sense of purpose and urgency that allowed me to make it the main thing – the only thing – that I did. Throughout my twenties, I identified with my work more than anything else in my life, and found it generally satisfying and meaningful. Luckily, there’s a fair bit of self-reflection that’s necessary as a psychotherapist, so I continued to grow as a person. But I worked several jobs at a time, was highly committed to the quality of my work, and didn’t have resources to do much else, so I was immersed in my practice pretty much all of the time. I identified myself by virtue of what I did for a living for about 15 years of my life. 

In this last decade, I’ve begun writing. I’m not sure if I first decided that I wanted something more for myself, or if the writing itself seemed so desirable that I just decided I was going to do it. Either way, the itch to write asserted itself more and more frequently, asking for my time – time to talk with others about writing, time to engage in writing for no (productive) reason, time to read the beautiful writing of authors I have always loved, and new voices, and of friends of mine that I’ve discovered write lovely and sacred things. My attraction to writing isn’t surprising – I’ve been burying myself in heaps of books since I could read – but the pulsing need to put something out there in my own voice feels important, urgent, and interesting, and I’m following that impulse all the way down the rabbit hole. 

Here’s what I have discovered thus far: My work is the bedrock of my life. Therapy is where I practice my craft and my discipline.  It sharpens my focus and steadies my gaze. It’s my daily morning jog, it’s my vitamins at breakfast, it’s washing my face at the end of a long day. For me, practicing therapy is filling and nutritious and necessary. It is life-sustaining. 

And writing is something else. Writing is juicy and it is delicious. Writing is that part after the jog when I take off my constrictive workout clothes, put on old pajamas, and stretch out my limbs all over the floor. It softens my consciousness and sinks me into somewhere fuzzy and warm. Writing is gentle, it is decadent, and it is flexible. The nudge to sit and write can dangle over my head for hours and hours, and the process takes the time that it takes. An unknown Part of me is engaged in this process, and I’ll never neglect it again. It is life-giving. 

I’m not sure what the lesson in this post might be, but I know it has something to do with paying attention to what Parts of us cry out for, and responding to those desires. I think that there’s a pressure as we become adults to become unidimensional – to keep our focus to one thing (our job, our marriage, our family)  and not to be sidetracked by our whims. I guess I believe that our whims are key to our wholeness and well-being. To engage with them is to enrich Parts of us we may have been neglecting (or not even known were there). How glorious; what a wonderful opportunity to discover something new, out of the blue, out of our regular everyday selves. 

Originally posted on my blog, Common Humanity, at Psych Central.com. To read more, visit https://blogs.psychcentral.com/common-humanity/
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Some frequently asked questions and useful answers.

Online therapy works in the same way as in-office therapy, but is done online, similar to a Skype or FaceTime conversation. Clients are able to have sessions from home, work, or any other convenient location. We meet with clients using a HIPAA-compliant secure platform.

Online therapy allows you to work with us from the comfort of home, or any private location of your choosing. For some, the screen provides an added layer of comfort that makes the challenging work of being vulnerable in therapy a little easier.

Online therapy also creates the unique opportunity for you to work with us without the constraints of proximity! The practice was born in Keene, New Hampshire, but has since grown to service clients anywhere in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, Florida, and New Hampshire.

Online therapy is a great option for clients that travel for work, for college students that go home during the summertime and do not want a break in their sessions, and for anyone with a challenging or inconsistent day-to-day schedule. It is an excellent choice for clients seeking a therapist with a particular specialty that they are unable to find support for locally. Some of our clients report that online therapy makes the vulnerability element of therapy a bit less intimidating.

No. For some clients with more complex symptoms or safety concerns, having a local therapist that is readily available is important in case of crisis or the need for a higher level of care. Online therapy is also a challenge for clients that do not have access to a private, quiet space to be “in session” for the hour, or for those that do not have adequate internet connectivity.

There are several reasons why we don’t accept insurance. The most important are:

Confidentiality. Insurance companies require that your information be shared with them in order to pay for services. We prefer that clients’ information is kept as confidential as possible.

The pressure to diagnose. Insurance companies require that clients are given a mental health diagnosis in order to pay for therapy. We have found that many clients benefit from therapy, but do not meet criteria for a diagnosis. Not using insurance allows clients to access therapy without being given a mental health diagnosis.

Flexibility and freedom. Insurance companies dictate the length and number of sessions they will authorize, as well as when a client is no longer eligible for the benefits of therapy. Because we do not work with insurance panels, you and we can collaborate to determine your individual needs regarding session length, frequency of sessions, and when to terminate therapy.

While we do not accept insurance, many clients choose to submit receipts to their insurance companies to receive reimbursement via out-of-network benefits. We are happy to provide these receipts for you! Please check with your insurance company for details on your benefits.

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