Collective(ly) Grateful
As I reflect on my career in social work, I am filled with thoughts like “Did that really happen?” as well as “That day was f*cking hard”. The highs are high (seeing progress in the individuals I get to work with) and the lows are low (helping families make difficult decisions on how to best approach a loved one’s death). So many of these situations were ones that we didn’t learn in graduate school. The stories I’d hear were as unique as the individuals I encountered. There was no rule book or instruction manual. It required clinical knowledge, following my gut, consulting with colleagues, and sometimes, making mistakes.
In the start of my career, I remember feeling absolutely consumed with the work I was doing. Working in a hospital with little peer support, I was thrust onto a unit with a binder and told “good luck”. This binder was my lifeline at first. But then, I’d be faced with incredible circumstances far beyond what the binder could provide. It was then I was forced to lean on my intuition and my clinical background to make the best choice I could at the time. The days were long, the relationships I built with coworkers were what kept me going, and I enjoyed going to work every single day.
Since that time, I was privileged to explore other career opportunities. In graduate school we were told social work is a field where frequent career moves could be a good thing, as they provide a diverse range of experience that can be utilized in any setting.
My time in hospice transformed me. I spent my days connecting with people as they transitioned to the other side. I saw God through their eyes, and felt raw with emotion watching their families cope through losing the rock of their family. I was witness to difficult family dynamics, as well. Death brings out different sides in all of us. I was honored being the support person for these individuals as they took the journey to the bright light. Feeling their peace and overwhelming love as they entered into the doorway of their next adventure was powerful, transformative. This experience took a big role in healing my own journey through grief- as I learned first hand the healing power of helping others.
Through these years of my career, I found myself falling more in love with the field of social work every day. Its versatility, diverse practice settings, various client populations and wide range of career options keep me feeling excited and like the possibilities were endless.
Since I was in 5th grade, I knew I wanted to be a therapist. I couldn’t picture how it would happen, but I manifested it every day through my work and the people I was able to help.
I consider the last few years to be the ones that laid the foundation for my current role: business owner and psychotherapist. After a series of experiences, I finally found the confidence (with the help of my own therapist!) to embark on the unknown and see where it took me. I’m the type of person who “jumps” before having all the plans in place, trusting that things will work out. (Spoiler alert: they did). Sometimes when I’m sitting in my big blue chair I think to myself, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this”.
As I wrap up my first year in business, it’s hard for me to remember life before it, which is why this post is reflective about my past experiences. Those experiences have molded me into the clinician I am today, and as my father always told me, “Don’t ever forget where you came from”. Those moments and people stay with me as I continue to navigate the complex situations that take place in the human experience.
As I put this website into orbit, I am filled with pride, fear and gratitude. When I embarked on this journey, I instantly knew I wanted it to be titled The Collective. I have only made it this far because of the wonderful people surrounding me. I believe we are all intrinsically linked, and the energy we pass onto each other create the environments we exist in.
My hope was to surround myself with like-minded colleagues. Not only have I found those colleagues, but we were connected in a way that I consider to be divine intervention. My goal is to help as many people as I possibly can, not only through psychotherapy, but also making mental health more accessible in my rural area. I will be offering continuing education for social workers, educating the community on trauma informed care, and helping organizations engage in practices that promote self-care for their employees. I have a burning desire to offer clinical supervision to provisionally licensed social workers- to share that gift of knowledge that was given to me in my years starting out. I want to create an open forum between community members to discuss our experiences, the good and the bad, in a non-judgmental, safe, and approachable way. That is the message I’d like to share when people visit The Collective.
I want to thank my community, my clients, and my colleagues for supporting me on this road to private practice. 5th grade Mandy cannot believe we made it here. It feels like a dream, which makes me want to shout from the rooftops- don’t ever stop fighting for your dreams, no matter how impossible they may feel. When you don’t know what you’re doing, KEEP GOING. The answers lie within you. We must learn to trust ourselves enough to listen.
-Mandy