The Anxious Therapist

I sit in an office across from one or two people (usually) for about 28 hours a week. I am probably a good 5-feet from my clients, at any given time. I practice a form of attachment therapy and hugging at the end is a common practice for me. I haven’t gone full teletherapy (seeing my clients “face-to-face” via video chat), and right now, my plan is to continue this mode of practice.

Within the world of psychotherapy, we see a lot of controversy regarding social distancing and what that looks like. You can search any therapist group and read threads of therapists discussing what he/she may be practicing, what best practice is during this season, and how to handle the chaos that has infiltrated our clients’ safe spaces (and our own).

Moments of crisis teach us about people. And in this season of scary, remember that your kids are watching you, hearing you, learning from you. They are watching you make some pretty big decisions, and deal with some potentially life-changing situations. Your kids can feel your fear, or they can feel your faith.

Uncertainty is scary. It is the basis of fear, and fear drives people in a way security wouldn’t dream. It drives people to do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do; to make decisions they otherwise wouldn’t, and perhaps to say things they would only otherwise think. Your kids are watching. You can make decisions based on fear, or based on faith.