A Tribute to Therapists

Picture a room about the size of a doctor's waiting room. About ten people sit in a circle. All of them suffer from mental illness. Many of them have either attempted suicide or lost a loved one to it. Only a tiny percentage of their pain can be discussed in approximately two hours. It is a ring of tips of icebergs. This is a microcosm of the courage that actual people display on a daily basis. The credit I failed to give them is enormous to me now. Now, let's get to the therapist.

The therapist CHOOSES to walk into this room, day after day. He or she does this for a LIVING. Listening is a profession. Knowing what to say and when to say it is an art form. Again, this is just two hours of this person's day. Do you know what a therapist can do during a ten minute break in the middle of one of these sessions? It could be paperwork. It might be saving a life. Rest assured, he or she will be back in that room after the break. Just imagine what the rest of the day looks like. The only way I can imagine that therapists manage this is to apply the very skills taught in their groups.

Fellas, raise your hand if you fancy yourself a tough guy. Go ahead, I myself grew up on a steady diet of one-man armies, action heroes, troubled loners and other assorted alienated idols. Do you know where it got me? A seat in that room. As I began to heal, I began to realize the full scope of this profession.

Don't get me wrong. There is still work to be done. The sheer awe I am trying to express here is just a byproduct of that work. I began to see my team. That team consists of me, a psychiatrist and a therapist. My admiration for the therapist, as well as the doctor, helps me come to see my own importance in my care.

Of course, there are many others that choose to report to this environment day after day. Even the maintenance woman uses the word 'mindful' and gets down when there is a Zumba class in the morning. These folks ENJOY showing up to a place where death looms. What is sheer terror for so many, or utter misery, is merely a challenge to which years of experience and education are applied.

Therapists are unsung heroes.  What they do is also not reserved for emergencies only. Therapy is hard work. You do not have to wait for an emergency, or even a setback or rough spot. It applies to any stage in one's life or relationships. There isn't just one type, either. Visit https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists to learn more.