Just wanted to add some positivity to the internet today. I think it's safe to say that most of us feel a sense of accomplishment when we see our clients make progress. While the clients certainly deserve the lion's share of the credit for their progress, it's validating to see that our therapeutic style facilitated their progress. I think so often, I struggle to know if I'm effective or a good therapist because of the ratio of how much time I spend sitting with clients who are struggling compared to those moments of progress. That, and Imposter Syndrome is a hell of a thing.
What's even better is when someone you've worked with reaches back out to you, remembering how you helped them and having had such a positive experience that they ask you for help again when they need it. I recently had a client reconnect with me to restart therapy after they worked with me years ago, back when I was still working at a community mental health clinic. It's made me reflect on our roles in our clients' lives. We only see them for these snapshots of time - these fleeting moments - and we hope we help, but we have no way to really know. But those moments - after the therapy, as our clients process what we've discussed - we have such an impact, more than we can ever really know. I think it's important to remember that we're more capable than we realize, and we help far more than we know.