Why I Love Being a Therapist: Get to Know Erika Labuzan-Lopez
“The best part about therapy with you was that you didn’t give us any stupid homework, you actually taught us skills that worked. We didn’t always get it at first, feel comfortable, or think it would work, but you helped us use strategies that truly opened our communication, and now we understand each other. If you had assigned a worksheet and book chapter, we would have never come back for a second session.”
This was feedback I received from a couple I worked with for just over a year, who at times questioned whether they would make it. When they were ready to graduate from therapy, they told me they had never felt more confident in their ability to connect, communicate, and handle the problems that would inevitably arise in their marriage.
Client Feedback and Experiences
This is feedback I’ve received from numerous clients over the years of doing this work, and I can’t express the humility I experience when I hear how I have literally changed lives and relationships. This is why I love being a therapist - because I get to engage in a trusting dynamic where I can guide people in ways that actually help them live the life they want in a marriage that is happy and fulfilling. I dig what I get to do everyday!
One-of-a-Kind Relationship
The therapeutic relationship is unique in a number of ways, but the one that I find most impactful is that I get to create a safe space for my clients that’s unlike any other. I get to model and engage in healthy boundaries whilst showing unconditional acceptance of who my clients are in their souls. Although it can be challenging for me as the therapist, I know I am one of the only people in their life that will hold them accountable while not rejecting them, abandoning them, or allowing unhealthy patterns to go unacknowledged. This is an incredibly unique opportunity I find myself in, and I’m grateful for the trust that is built between myself and another human.
Fulfilling Connections and Using My Strengths
I enjoy getting to build connections with people that go deep and are non-contingent. To be honest, in my personal life I am very introverted and shy, which can be a challenge in social situations. I’ve learned to embrace my energy style over the years, and I find it’s one of my greatest strengths as a professional. I am not great at being the life of the party, but I am excellent in the art of meaningful human interaction, sitting with the intense emotions of another person without taking them on as my own, and engaging in a way that gets to the depth of the complexity that is the human experience. I feel blessed to be able to bring my greatest strengths to my work.
Reducing Stigma and Normalizing Mental Health
My heart almost burst the other day when I walked into my child’s school and the Principal was wearing a shirt that said “#MentalHealthMatters”. One of my goals in life is to contribute to de-mystifying therapy and reducing mental health stigma. Therapy isn’t only for “crazy” people (whatever that means), it’s for everyone. Having a place to be safe, explore without judgment, tap into uncomfortable feelings, and heal from traumas and attachment injuries is something everyone deserves, and we’re all worth it.
Values, Passion, and Soul
Being a good therapist takes an understanding of psychology, learning evidence based practices, and top notch training and supervision. But being a great therapist takes passion. There has to be motivation and understanding of our own “why’s” for a therapist to be able to fully show up for their clients. Since I was a child, I was the person everyone came to to talk about their problems, and I developed an incredible love for humanity. Truthfully, I don’t always love engaging with people in the real world or at Target (because small talk is hard for me and I need a lot of deep recovery time), but I deeply care for other humans and their wellbeing. My strengths, skills, and passion come together to drive my desire to be the best therapist I can be. I practice good boundaries, but being a therapist is ingrained in who I am, my purpose, and my values. If I had to sum up why I love being a therapist, it’s because my whole soul is in it.