Given the stigma of mental illness, discussing therapy in public has often been considered to be “inappropriate.” Many people are still ashamed or uncomfortable to admit they go to therapy or struggle with mental illness. For this reason, I try to normalize therapy, mental illness, and treatment by talking of such things in my everyday conversations. With that in mind, last week my therapist pointed out to me that I focus more on my perceived failings rather than my successes, as if my having made a mistake or something in general having gone wrong immediately overrides any strides I’ve made. We’d been discussing setting healthy boundaries, something I sometimes struggle with. After an initial boundary-setting success, a different boundary line was crossed, and I suddenly felt incapable and incompetent—how could I be so foolish to think I’d accomplished something? Yet, as my supervisors and therapist pointed out, just because there are “setbacks” or times when healthy boundaries must be reestablished, my success is still a success; the foundation I laid for my boundary-setting skills is still there.

This was a pertinent issue for me last week—and while I wasn’t in full-on panic mode, my finger was certainly hovered over the proverbial panic button. My supervisors at common art were nothing short of amazing. They listened to me, validated my feelings, and helped me come up with a solution. At the end of the day, I was a main player in the resolution of the difficult situation. I couldn’t have done it without the help of my supervisors, but they supported me from afar and allowed me to face the issue myself so that I could grow as a therapist. It’s much easier to take risks when you know your supervisors have your back.

11-7-19, Amanda Ludeking