By Kayle Melicher
How many of you have said “I haven’t felt connected to my therapist or I don’t want to go to therapy?”, probably all of you who are reading this have said that at one point in your life, and don’t worry, I have said it too. Since I was five years old I have been in and out of therapy and I never felt a connection with any of the therapists I had, I don’t know if it was because I was too little and I just couldn’t understand or if I really just didn’t feel a connection with them; whatever the case I always felt weird about it. I always felt like it was some transaction like a credit card in a way. But my perspective changed want to know how keep reading.
It wasn’t I believe until I was nineteen almost twenty that I got paired with the two therapists that changed my whole perspective on therapy and mental health and the way I just saw the world. These therapists went above and beyond for me and really showed me that there can be therapists out there who do want to connect and who can love their clients. So when these two therapists whisked me away to the park, for an hour once per week was the one time where I got a break from all the abuse that I was dealing with at home, it was the time where I could focus on myself instead of taking care of everyone else. This is where they would take time and validate and help me through everything. These two therapists who would dress up for Halloween with me and used tough love with me when they knew they had to, these were the type of therapists who went down the slide at the park just to make me laugh and smile even if it was just for a second; these therapists made my life feel so much better.
I remember one night I texted one of my therapists and I asked her if she believed in me because I just needed one person to say they did, and she texted me back saying of course I do do not let your family get you down; now that meant so much to me that she texted me that because at the time I was going through a lot and it was nice to know that I had some one in my corner. And I remember with the other therapist I had she told me that i wasn’t a burden I was just having to deal with other peoples burdens, but I wasn’t the burden. Which made me feel more better because at the time I did feel like a burden and I felt like no matter what I did I wasn’t good enough. But being around them when I was they made me feel like I was good enough and they made me feel happy and loved and supported. I am so lucky to have met them and that they were my therapists. I know I will never forget them, and I hope they will always remember me because even though they unfortunately had to exist me I know they would be proud of where I ended up today. So I want to tell you with this story is to never give up that search for the right therapist, don’t be afraid to get a therapist who knows maybe you can have a connection like I did where it changes your world like it changed mine.
