Building Hope Counseling Services

The world is hurting. There is so much anger, hurt, and hatred coming at us from all angles. With social media, it can feel like the assaults against our humanity never end. Collectively, our hearts are broken at the state of the world.

So what is it like to be a therapist in 2023? Let’s set the scene: America is divided on every major issue, except for who is to blame (hint: It’s the other side). Wars seem to be breaking out every few months. Our neighbors are suffering. We, ourselves, are suffering. What does it feel like to be the person people turn to for guidance when the whole world is hurting so badly?

It feels like trying to stop a forest fire by blowing really hard. I’m getting lightheaded. I’m trying my hardest to keep the flames under control, but sometimes it feels like my attempts to extinguish the flames only serve to fan them.

It feels like putting a bandage on a wound that needs stitches. People are bleeding out as a result of racism, homophobia, antisemitism, islamophobia, poverty, war… And all I can do is put a weak bandage on the wound. “I’ll see you next week, hang in there!”

It feels like I am not enough. I am only one person, and I am feeling everything that my clients are feeling, and I can’t fix it. I can’t fix it for myself, and I can’t fix it for anyone else.

But it also feels like humanity.

It feels like pride in my clients, most of whom are learning to navigate seemingly never-ending horrors with grace and compassion. There is so much pride in sitting with a client who previously could not stand to be with their own emotions as they express their pain through tears of anguish and raised voices of indignation and whispers of despair.

It feels like honor. It is an honor to be a therapist and privilege to help others the way that I do. I am learning to honor myself by recognizing my own limits as a therapist. I continue to honor my clients through being present with them, helping them to process difficult situations and emotions, bearing witness to their pain and their joy.

It feels like doubt. Heavy, in the pit of my stomach.

It feels like hope. Light, in the center of my chest.

There are so many things that I can’t fix, that I can’t help my clients make sense of because there is no sense, that I can’t find the bright side of. Because sometimes there is no bright side.

What I can offer, however, is connection. Because that’s what we’re all hurting for right now – We are craving a connection with each other. We are crying out for someone to hear us, for someone to witness our pain. Through each social media post and debate with a loved one, we are screaming, “I am in pain!” and begging someone to validate the reasons for our heartbreak.

You are not alone. We are all hurting together, and we have been for some time.

To be a therapist in the middle of a dystopian hellscape is hard. I’m going to be honest, it’s really f’ing hard.

And yet, it is so rewarding. It gives me hope that we can turn this around, together. It reminds me that there is more that binds us together than tears us apart.

May all beings be safe. May all beings be free. May all beings know happiness and connection.

May we all know peace.

Resources:

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world and need immediate assistance in the United States, please reach out to the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline by dialing 988 or by going to their website, 988lifeline.org. You do not need to be suicidal to reach out for help, the purpose of this hotline is to offer immediate help to anyone who is struggling with their mental health.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world and are searching for longer term care in the United States, please head to psychologytoday.com. On Psychology Today you can find therapists in your area who specialize in your issues and accept your insurance. If you are nervous to get started, you can ask a potential therapist for a 15-minute consultation prior to scheduling a full appointment.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world and are searching for longer term care in Massachusetts, please fill out the contact form on this website, buildinghopema.com. I would love to hear from you and to see if we are a good therapeutic fit.