Our newest therapist, Lindsey Walsh, lets us in on his thoughts today…
Do you have a calling? I’m guessing you probably do, even if you don’t know it yet.
I must confess: I’m a late bloomer.
A veeery late bloomer.
Winter wheat late.
Trick-or-Treating at American Thanksgiving
late.
Late.
And yet, here I am, nearing the big Four-Oh and I find myself with both a calling and a bit of a specialty. The calling I’ve had for eight years now. That came about because someone I was volunteer-counselling with said, “You should really do the Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy”.
I’m not even sure I’d heard of such a being before. How do you fit everyone on the couch? I wondered.
Just kidding!
My fellow volunteer basically summarized Marriage and Family Therapists as “Professionals who help people get their emotional needs met and to change the negative patterns that can get in the way of change, growth, and fulfillment.”
That sounded really neat to me, so, I followed my co-volunteer’s advice. I applied to the program with Aurora Family Therapy Centre at the U of W and I got in.
And here I am, seven years later, with a great deal of practice under my belt. I’ve worked with individuals of all ages, faiths, and many different backgrounds; straight, lesbian and gay couples; and lots and lots of parents with their children.
Lots,
And lots,
And lots of kids and either one or two parents.
Lots.
And I absolutely love it. There really is nothing like helping people feel heard, understood and appreciated by their loved ones. And when I can help a child feel her or his mother’s, father’s, or other caregiver’s full, compassionate, curious, and courageous presence – well that’s just magical.
After all, when we know our loved ones are there for us, then we can really, really blossom. Then the world doesn’t seem like such a big, scary place. And when it is big and scary, at least we aren’t facing it alone.
So, that’s my calling: Marriage and Family Therapist. It’s what I put on my business cards. Along with being a dad and a hubby, it is perhaps the truest expression of why I’m here on Earth.
What do I love about this challenging work?
As a therapist, I get to:
- serve my community
- pay the bills (along with my very hard
working spouse), - grow professionally, and
- build amazing relationships with and
between people.
What an amazing way to spend my work days.
But what about a specialty? Is there anything that I am a little more passionate about? Anything that I have a bit of an edge on?
I am committed to serving many different clients with many different needs. But, there is nothing I am more passionate about than helping caregivers nurture kids.
I love working with parents and other caregivers, helping them really tune into their kids, to soothe them, and help them overcome their struggles.
And sometimes people do deserve help, because it isn’t easy being a parent.
And it definitely is not easy being a child.
So, I’m here, you know, just in case you want some help making it a little easier to help you and your Junior Tribe Members listen to and share with each other.
How about you? What’s your calling? What do you get out of bed every morning to do? What carries you past that first cup of coffee? Do you have a specialty? Is there any one thing that you are just a little more passionate about and skilled at doing?
If not, maybe someday someone you love – or like me, a complete stranger – will give the best advice of your life. The advice that moves you from being a lovely person, to being a lovely person who has a career, or hobby, or whatever-it-is that you can call…
Your Calling.
Sincerely,
If you are interested in booking an appointment with Lindsey or another therapist at our office, please call 204 275 1045 or contact us via our webpage.
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