Thankful for this

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and in my free time over the last week I have found myself mentally orchestrating the steps that I will take in order to help create a delicious meal for my family and myself. I enjoy this process; the planning, the timing, the coordination, the satisfaction of sharing my work and providing sustenance for my loved ones.

This usually occupies quite a bit of real estate in my mind. But this morning I woke up thinking that, in the spirit of the occasion, I should pause and consider what it is that I’m thankful for in this moment. An exercise like this isn’t such a stretch for me; I try to take inventory of my gratitudes as regularly as I can, and the list is typically limitless. This time what I’m focusing on is my thankfulness for the clients that I currently work with or have had the pleasure of working with in the past.

My clients teach me a lot. Through my experiences, I have learned from them the importance of prioritizing one’s healing and peace of mind. I have witnessed the transformative power of forgiveness, whether in the act of forgiving another or the equally challenging act of forgiving oneself. I have seen the sobering recognition of someone perpetuating harm against himself, and the resolution and determination to break that cycle. I have learned what courage looks like through the countless demonstrations of trusting another (me), in spite of what must feel like tremendous risk. I have been humbled by my clients’ openness, resilience, optimism, fortitude, honesty and a host of other qualities and traits which are always on full display.

It is my job (and my pleasure) to witness all of these things on a regular basis, and I don’t always get the chance to express my gratitude for what I learn and hold on to as a result of these encounters. I believe these teachings make me a better clinician and human, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Thank you for reading.