Relational Therapy in California
Vanessa Setteducato, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #119184
THF Therapy
As a therapist, you dedicate your work to helping others navigate their deep dark shadow in pursuit of healing. Do you have someone who can meet you in your process just the same?
It's essential to cultivate a healing lineage for those in the healing profession. Burnout, compassion fatigue, and imposter syndrome are all too easily overwhelming when you do this kind of work. Having a therapist in your corner is key. Of course, this isn't without its challenges. Therapists have unique needs when they sit in the client chair and it's not always easy to find a therapist who can hold the complex line.
Therapy for Therapists
The nurturers need nurturing, too. (Maybe especially).
Sure you've got your monthly consultation group and all your friends are therapists so you feel pretty well supported. But if you sometimes feel like that isn't enough, you may need a space that is intentionally crafted to be all yours; something sacred where you don't have to offer support in order to get support. We know how this kind of give-and-take can be easy to slip into, but what if therapy was a space where you could simply receive.
You have a strong sense of responsibility and dedication to your clients' well-being. This commitment can make it challenging to prioritize your own needs and seek therapy when you are grappling with personal or professional challenges. There may be a fear of burdening others with your own struggles or a sense of guilt for taking time away from serving your clients, or for taking time away from mine.
But you deserve to be here.
Therapy for Pandemic Processing
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, therapists have faced increased pressures and unique challenges. The prolonged periods of isolation, heavy workloads, and the emotional weight of supporting clients through uncertainty and trauma have taken a toll.
Not to mention, we went shared a collective trauma with our clients. Our aches and pains were eerily similar to theirs, making it hard to keep the work separate. We've heard this period of time defined as "unprecedented," and truly, this element of therapy was. The thing is, it was unprecedented for a reason because it makes the work -- and the boundaries required to safely do the work -- a whole lot harder.
As a therapist, it is crucial to acknowledge the impact of these stressors on your own well-being and to prioritize self-care now, if you haven't already.
Therapy where you actually get to be the client
You may struggle with the fear of being judged or misunderstood by your peers or colleagues if you disclose your own struggles. There can be a sense of pressure to maintain a facade of strength and competence, which may be hindering you from seeking the support you deserve.
I see your humanity first and aim to maintain a space in which you get to feel, actually, like the client. Being a therapist may give us a little short-hand for the work, but my
We know how this kind of give-and-take can be easy to slip into, but what if therapy was a space where you could simply receive.
first task is to ensure you can use therapy in whatever way you need to with no pressure to "know your stuff," "have it all figured out," or "be better than that." Come be messy.
Ready to self-care?
Browse the FAQ for answers to your preliminary questions.
Then contact me to set up a free initial consultation call.
Get Started with Therapy
Online therapy in California from the comfort of your own home.