9 Reasons I Believe in You, My Client.

1. I have yet to meet a single client who doesn’t have some remarkably badass qualities.  I love seeing and honoring those qualities.

2.  Sometimes folks haven’t experienced **Being Believed In** (from others or from themselves) in a really long time.  It’s nice refamiliarize them with what that can be like.

3.  You have done so much to get to this moment.  So much that I’m left just amazed by your journey.  I cannot and will not dismiss that.

4.  When someone says that they want to “start therapy,” to me they are saying, “I want to switch it up.”  It might be switching up their perspective, their relationships, their mindset, or even their brain/body patterns.  They’re coming in with a moment of hope, and I believe deeply in and honor hope.

5.  Sometimes it’s hard to believe in one’s self, so I *GET* to show up for you and hold hope for you when it may be hard for you to do that for yourself.

6.  Humans (and their brains and hearts) are incredibly strong, resilient, and brilliant.

7.  Because I believe humans are inherently connected.  I can’t believe in one person’s potential without believing in another’s.

8.  I know the magical, heart-squeezing, fire-lighting, life-changing impact that can happen because of times when people have believed in me.

9.  I have no reason not to.

For pie-chart lovers, couples, and chickenophiles alike

Some people are simply artists of inspiration.  They tend to be reflective thinkers.  Some may not even create, but they are what I call “artists of curation” where they pull together an assortment of images and posts for others to appreciate in a format like Instagram.

Each of the artists uses words, colors, or images to help fuel me, reframe my perspectives, get me to look with wonder, and help me simply appreciate my world.  Not too shabby, eh.

As a therapist, it’s key for me to continue to do “my work” so that I can be effective for others.  Because of this, I am constantly looking for those fresh minds who help me.  I find them in a range of media (interviews, poetry, social media), and some are better known than others.

Some help me giggle, and some help me remember heartache.  Altogether, they offer me a workout where I consider my flexibility, my assets, my growing edges, my focus and my balance–like yoga for my spirit.

In my new “Who Inspires Me” series, I’ll be sharing some of those people with you in case they could be of value to you, too.  You can see a tiny bit of their artistry here, but I encourage you to follow them via social media!

Warmly,
Sarah
@sarah.claus.therapy

Mari Andrew: profound and delightful

Mari speaks plainly, yet she does it in colorful, offbeat, and whimsical drawings, charts, and writings.  She’s developing quite a following for a reason.  She doesn’t shy from topics big or small.  She “gets” heartache, and she speaks to insecurities in a brave, humanizing way.

Follow Mari’s work at any of these spots:


Gina Senarighi: sassy & refreshing outlook for couples

Gina speaks Truth.  I came across her work a few years ago when dreaming of what I wanted my private practice to be like.  As she works primarily with couples, her blogs and social media words help to “keep me in check.”  She is inclusive and creative in her work as a relationship coach.  I was stricken by her passion for social justice, for supporting her clients, and for her ability to get to the core of issues.

Look here to follow Gina:


Chickenspluspoetry: naturally

Nature sure can beg to get our attention: tornadoes, my loyal Australian Shepherd, rainbows.  Chickens, though, dart and linger, sometimes with no apparent rhyme or reason.  I are lucky to share my home with some backyard chickens, so this Instagram account reminds me that two seemingly unrelated ideas–chickens and poetry–can complement one another beautifully.  It also teaches me to expect the unexpected and find meaning in the world around me.

One place to catch this show:

Now, I will admit the sad part of this particular account has been dormant for the past year, but maybe if we all “follow,” we can give its owner a nudge to keep with their noble task of #chickenspluspoetry.