I debated regarding the decision to share this with anyone but there is a great message and it may help someone, so at the risk of MY vulnerability and looking silly to the Charlotte Therapists/Social Workers closed Facebook group I did share it and then found the wind to share it again with the Huffington Post.

I am a therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina. My niche for the past 3 years is services for healers, helpers & heroes in Charlotte. I have the honor of servicing ministers, teachers, social workers, medical and mental health professionals. By extension, this means I am also a therapist for therapists. In a recent session via video-conference with one of my therapist-clients (who has terrible guilt about having anxiety), I was attempting to provide an example of how a therapist is a HUMAN. I reminded her that doctors are HUMAN, become ill, and need doctors. Then I said, “Therapists are not exempt from life. Life happens and we each have to cope with it. ALL humans cry, ALL humans bleed; ALL humans have to sleep; All humans have to go to the bathroom sometimes” and then as if on a director’s cue…I audibly passed gas. It was hilariously awkward for about 2 seconds until I blurted out “my goodness, excuse me” and we both laughed a GOOD laugh. It was one of those moments that my worded example became an immediate actual example. I didn’t plan it & it was NOT intentional, but that disrespectful uninvited fart happened like punctuation to my statement proving my illustration. I am HUMAN too. I am a real therapist (not at all like the therapists in the movies).

At best, I expected no response or that at least one of the professionals in the bunch might chastise me for my response to the intrusion of the flagrant flatulence. But instead something completely unexpected happened. About 50 other area North Carolina therapists supported and connected with me in some manner. They thanked me for being honest and for causing them to laugh out loud, allowing for a bit of my human-ness to show through. I was so grateful to have the support of such wonderful humans and for the opportunity to share the experience with them. As therapists, we possess equal parts: unique perspective and privilege. It is our dual responsibility to be a support and to seek support; to be fully present and supportive with those we serve and ready to unpack the load of those concerns, traumas, and challenges. Because who would trust a therapist who was NOT humble or willing to be vulnerable enough (human enough) to submit to the therapeutic process?