Firstly, I value Therapy and its benefits immensely. I have been a Social Worker for 20+ years and consider it a needed level of care for many.
For myself, I needed to consider a change in HOW I was serving others and optimize Value over methods. As much as I value having a License to ‘help others’, one does not need a License to be of service to others.
In fact, many of my heros fought on the frontlines far before we decided to ‘legitimize’ our social work.
My well-being became at risk and my ethics were violated. Daily.
I am not alone…
Once I started understanding Trauma and how it is an insidious presence in everything we do effects, I started to see how our systems are operating from those effects as well. From families, to schools, to healthcare, to the Criminal Justice system, etc.
It took years of psychiatric gaslighting before I realized that I had a condition that had never been diagnosed in my life (and worse was being routinely escalated as a result of neglect): Complex Trauma, Developmental Trauma, Vicarious Trauma, Secondary Trauma and most invasively, PTSD.
Today, thanks to the ACES Study, we now understand that most children in our Country, a 1st world nation, are suffering with similar symptoms.
Why?
Even worse…
Wthout looking at these pain points, we continue to blame individuals only, often leading to things like the School to Prison Pipelene, substance, use, domestic violence, defensive narcisissm, abusive relationships, etc.
I hated diagnosing what I see as one basic human condition: pain and suffering.
I hated the lack of quality providers who are trained exquisitely on methods, yet routinely choose method over meaning and individualization, often blaming the client for any ‘failure’ of services (I’ve hardly ever seen this to be the cause in my experience)
I hated that systems NEED clients to maintain themselves: prisons, education, health, addiction centers, mental health, etc. They all require us to stay focused on the problem, treating it with band-aids and coming back for more ‘treatment’ – at individual expense.
I grew tired of betraying myself to uphold systems that weren’t created by me, for me and/or with me or my clients in mind.
I wanted Effective, Efficient, Sustainable, Practical and Accessible solutions to very common pain points.
I wanted to disrupt the unequal power dynamic between me as the ‘licensed professional’ and you, my peer, my fellow expert, traveler, warrior….Survivor.
Because WE often have far more tools at our disposal than we are led to believe by a world that benefits from our slience.
I wanted to make change, build a movement and give a Call to Action to Stop the Power Bleed dance that we do with the world every day.
I wanted to honor each and every one of my heros (from family to historical figures) – each one of whom risked EVERYTHING to speak the truth, often paid incredible prices to do so, and left a lasting impression on me because of their willingness to rebel, honor self and share their insights with the world, in spite of the very real costs.
I owe it to them to honor them through my own actions and carry on their tradition of Bravery, Shit-Kicking and Revolutionary Risk-Taking.
I owe it to you to point you towards your own North.
Because if I don’t, then I will not have lived as the tool I have always strived to be.
If I don’t take this swan dive, then I will miss an incredible opportunity to Be the Change in ways that I don’t get to know.
The favorite part of my job has always been curiosity and intrigue at how my clients transform through our work.
Now, I do so with the very deep knowledge that I had so very little to do with it.
And THAT is the coolest gift ever.
I get to see you shine.
I get to help you Uncloud your own Internal Compass and get Clear on YOUR goals, intentions and what will bring well being!