Painful Self-Reflection
I can no longer remain silent.
I have always been a peacemaker. In my world, things were not quite right unless everyone was getting along. I have made conscious choices not to take sides, discuss politics, and treat others with respect.
Speaking out, or saying something controversial goes against my personal identity, it’s uncomfortable, it causes pain, I don’t like it.
As a recent counseling graduate, I have learned self-reflection is an integral part of my job. In my opinion, I have to be able to accept everyone. To do this, I had to get deeply in touch with my own biases. Realizing I had biases was an excruciating activity.
When I am in a counseling session, I sometimes feel like a detective. As my clients share their stories, I listen for clues.
The clues are what shape the person sitting in front of me.
Most of the clues involve what happened during their childhood. Many are obvious. If you were beaten, put into foster care, sexually abused, this will impact your future life.
As I start finding the clues, I determine the best treatment approach. I am still new to counseling, and I frequently need…
