One of the most meaningful things I get to experience as a counselor is that I get to see people for exactly who they are. Finding a space of belonging is a rare thing to find in the world, which is why I love to provide that space for the people I meet.

I'm often struck by how such ordinary things teach me the biggest lessons. My most recent lesson came from my little flock of sheep. One of our lambs had to be bottle fed, as his mama abandoned him. As I was feeding him one day, I had a thought come to mind - how many people in the world must feel like my little lamb? How many of us feel abandoned, rejected, afraid, and alone? How many of us are looking for a place to belong?

I can count many times in my life where I’ve felt those things and have hid my true self just to fit in. To pretend to be somebody I wasn’t made me feel trapped. I’ve been blessed to find spaces where I get to be my true self, and have found so much freedom in those spaces.

My hope for anyone who makes the brave decision to meet with a counselor is that as they enter into that space that they can be received exactly as they are, and that they can experience the same freedom I have experienced.

By Allison Griffin, Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor