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Allison Deraney's avatar

Ummm, this part - “I love you, keep going.”🥹🥹

I am going to include this in the repertoire of affirmations I say to myself (and my kids!)

I loved this interview. I love that you asked and Leslie said yes. I love the layer of sobriety that connected it all, too.

I sometimes fantasize about being a therapist. It is such important work and I feel like it’s a better match for my insides than the law career path I chose. It slips out, too. My daughter will often say, “Mom you’re talking to me with your therapy language again” She’s 11. 🤣

I especially love the distinction of process at the top of this interview. Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time distilling process versus progress. The process feels more essential.

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Leslie Stephens's avatar

One of the things I love about a career in therapy is that the later you pursue it, the more prepared you are to go into it from your own life experience! It can happy at any age, if the time comes :)

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Allison Deraney's avatar

I love that. And I imagine that lived life experience sharpens things from a therapeutic lens.

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Kaitlyn Elizabeth's avatar

Such a great point!

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Kaitlyn Elizabeth's avatar

Isn’t that line so affective and effective.

I can safely say you bring a therapeutic lens to your writing, without a doubt. My cousin pointed out when he was marrying my husband (also a lawyer) and I that we both do jobs that have to do with advocacy. There can be a surprising amount of overlap.

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Allison Deraney's avatar

Thanks for sharing that Kaitlyn. Hearing that brings me a bit of comfort. I sometimes wonder if I’m using my “tools” most effectively in my career. All of this is on the forefront of my mind because my kid is on the threshold of college/picking majors. As I watch him I wonder to myself, what would I do if I could do it over again.

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Kaitlyn Elizabeth's avatar

That totally makes sense. It’s never too late to explore that 💛 even just a book or some one-off classes. I’m a “become a therapist” pusher 😂

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Allison Deraney's avatar

You’re very convincing 🙃

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Jenna Britton's avatar

I took a break from therapy — personal and couples’ — last year, and it was such a positive experience! It came from a place of feeling deeply supported by my therapists and deeply trusting of myself to integrate what I’d gained from our sessions and hold that space for myself for awhile. I returned to therapy earlier this year, when I realized I needed that professional support again — but that only further deepened my trust that I can and will take good care of myself (with or without professional support).

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Kaitlyn Elizabeth's avatar

Yesss!! That trust is such a big part of that. Can we trust that we can move in and out of spaces where we need that support and know when we need to move toward it again? Beautiful <3

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Gabriella's avatar

Very cool crossover here! Wow, that couples therapy experience yikes. Enjoyed hearing y'alls perspectives!

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Kaitlyn Elizabeth's avatar

Thank you, darling! Miss you <3

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Lindsey Kontovich's avatar

Loved this one!

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Lindsey Kontovich's avatar

Coming back to say more because it was 5:45am and I wasn’t quite awake 🤣 this is so wonderful and love Leslie’s acknowledgment that sometimes taking a break from therapy is the exact thing you need. There are sessions when clients come in and I can tell they need a “light” session instead of EMDR or IFS. We’re able to pause and see progress while also acknowledging that sometimes work and life admin need to be prioritized instead of more healing every single week. I’m loving this series, Kaitlyn! I can tell you are, too!

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Kaitlyn Elizabeth's avatar

Hahah that’s fair (and I’ve done the same thing before).

Thanks for reading and sharing! I was just thinking about what you’re saying yesterday. I have parts of me who think it always needs to look like “X.” But then the freedom and spaciousness that comes from what you’re saying and just asking the client what they need in that particular moment 😮‍💨

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