Being a Counsellor: Rewarding or Exhausting?

I am feeling so much gratitude right now after a fulfilling weekend of work. I had the privilege of doing 1-1 therapy with clients yesterday, and I co-facilitated an incredible workshop today with one of my favourite people - Jill Thompson from Tharseo Counselling Services. We worked with an incredible group of women who participated in the workshop with openness, courage and vulnerability. A perk of facilitating workshops is I always learn new things from what the participants contribute.

Yesterday at a personal gathering, someone said to me: "It must be such a heavy and exhausting job being a counsellor". While I was contemplating this, my husband jumped in and said "No, she loves it, its very rewarding doing what Jen does." < He is so right. It takes a lot of conscious and deliberate energy to maintain strong boundaries to be able to show up for my clients and be present for them, and then to end that session to be present for the next, and to wrap my day up and be present for myself and my family; and yes I do hear sad and difficult stories, but nothing feels better than being able to walk alongside my clients in their journeys of self discovery and being able to support them as they make awe-inspiring progress and overcome the obstacles and barriers in their lives. I do have to make sure that I take care of myself to be able to show up for my clients in a helpful way and not be exhausted by it, but that is pretty good motivation to take good care of myself! I am so incredibly grateful to do what I do, and I just want to affirm every one of you who have challenged yourselves to dig a little deeper and do some self-discovery in whatever way fits for you. It is NOT an easy process, but it's so worthwhile when you start seeing changes in your life because of the work you've put into yourself!