The author discusses their intuitive, somatic connection with clients that evolves from personal experiences and yoga practice. This ‘felt sense’ allows them to resonate deeply with clients, helping to unlock emotions related to their experiences. Training on vicarious trauma elucidates the importance of managing this empathic attunement. Personal anecdotes highlight the significance of holding space for clients’ pain, especially in cases like a trans feminine teenager facing gender dysphoria. The author emphasizes the need for careful discernment in sharing sensations while ensuring client safety and ownership of emotions. Ultimately, this embodied empathy enhances the therapeutic relationship, fostering deep understanding and healing.
Category: therapy
Understanding Identity in Counselling: The Role of Lived Experience
The text explores the intricate relationship between counselling, identity, and lived experiences, emphasizing that identity is shaped both personally and externally. The author reflects on their experiences as a gay counsellor working with the LGBTQIA+ community, highlighting the challenges of conveying the complexities of diverse identities in a training environment often dominated by theoretical understanding. Interaction with peers revealed assumptions about objectivity and understanding lived experiences, underscoring the need for cultural competence in therapy. Ultimately, the author advocates for empathy and recognition of personal experiences to foster effective counselling relationships and genuine inclusivity in society.
Navigating Short-Term Therapy: A Queer Client’s Journey
In my early therapy practice, I connected deeply with a young queer client navigating trauma, grief, and a tumultuous relationship. Our limited sessions intensified the urgency of their struggle, compounded by a career-ending injury and the loss of their father. Despite doubts from my supervisor about their authenticity, I chose to trust their genuine distress and provide unwavering support. As we explored their complex emotions, a therapeutic bond flourished, allowing for meaningful growth even within the constraints of short-term therapy. This experience reinforced the immense power of empathy in fostering healing, revealing how even brief connections can spark profound transformations.
Gabriel Muller-Ebeid Counselling 