A Counsellor’s Struggle with Vulnerability
As a newcomer to the field of public writing, and well-aware of how uncomfortable this can feel, I thought it would be appropriate to talk openly about my own struggle with vulnerability, and maybe inspire a few people to be open too.
A few years ago, when I was first starting into private practice, I had convinced myself that I didn’t need a website for people to find me (and in my defence, was told by a colleague that this was the case). I probably just really wanted to believe this. It is so much more comfortable hiding in the shadows than being vulnerable.
It didn’t take long to realize that having a website was absolutely necessary to a successful business. Of course, I now know how ridiculous that sounds. But I remember having a really hard time defining myself. What my values are, how I work, what I believe in. Even though I knew I could help people, and I know myself well, putting it in black and white seemed so final, so self-involved, and so arrogant. I think it was also hard for me to take the risk and “be seen” because it meant also opening myself up to criticism and judgment. Especially hard when you are first starting out.
Anyways, I finally got over that and realized that I could endure the discomfort of publishing some basic information for people to read, and even have a picture or two of myself. Read more
