My Journey Into Becoming a Therapist

I became a therapist because of my own history of personal healing and extensive trauma work.

I remember the exact day I was prescribed what I would later learn were benzodiazepines. I had a conversation with my then-primary care provider, who explained that he would no longer be able to prescribe them and that I would need to seek care through a pain clinic to continue receiving them.

I remember thinking, Why? At the time, I couldn't understand how someone could become dependent on prescription medications. I wanted to understand.

I was nearing the completion of my Master of Science degree in Mental Health when I made the decision to add Addictions as a minor. I remember thinking, I'm going to do this. I'm going to become a clinician. I'm going to become a therapist.

For me, it stopped being about asking why and became about understanding how.

How do people heal? How do we begin to understand the experiences, trauma, and circumstances that shape our lives? How do we help people find their way forward when life has taken them places they never imagined they would go?

Becoming a clinician and counselor has changed my life in ways I could never have fully anticipated. My own healing journey helped lead me here, and today, I feel deeply honored to walk alongside the individuals I work with as they navigate their own journeys of healing, growth, and self-discovery.

I never take that privilege lightly.