I am officially a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) ya’ll!!! I am so excited to write this post and share this news with you all, as it was one of my biggest goal accomplishments near the end of 2019. Being licensed opens doors and will allow me to accomplish goals with Always Live Lovely that I have been dreaming of. Deciding to walk in my calling to become a therapist has not been easy, at all, but it has been worth it. Due to my experience, I wanted to write a post that would reach those of you who may also be on a road to licensure, a degree, or even gaining the skills you need that will equip you to walk in your calling.
There were times in my journey where I felt great joy, inspiration, purpose, passion, strength, and overall victory. I also experienced moments where I cried, sacrificed, wanted to quit, experienced confusion, resentment, was disrespected by bosses/colleagues, felt under-valued, anger, and overall tired. During those times I leaned on my support system, my strength, and often referenced the song by Mary May called “Can’t Give up Now”; which helped get me through. During those times there were usually 2 thoughts that would always come to mind that helped me remain motivated during my road to licensure.
Becoming a mental health therapist was not something I dreamed of when I was a little girl (I actually was training to be an entertainer), it was something I was called to do. My road to licensure took a total of 10 years, a whole decade. If that is not dedication, I don’t know what is! I reflect upon my first experience taking a psychology course my senior year of high school and having to drop the course (for the first time ever) because, I was failing. Just so you have a little more insight into the kind of student I was, I had always been a straight A/ Honor Roll student, so failing a class was a “no go” for me. Nevertheless, I persisted to attend undergrad, where I switched majors from Psychology to Human Development because, I didn’t want to be a science major. I graduated in 4 years with honors and attended graduate school where I graduated in 3 years with a cumulative 4.0 GPA (talk about a testimony in itself since my first psych class senior year). Throughout the journey my overall goal remained the same.
Grad school was hard, but things became more difficult once I graduated. Not having a roadmap crippled me with fear and experiencing multiple setbacks during my internships began to suck my motivation away. Since I was a trainee, I dealt with something or someone trying to dim my light, but no matter what I persisted. The day then arrived where I submitted my hours, just to wait an extended amount of time, which was totally different than my plans. I was approved, struggled to study, and went to sit for my exam. My personal life had been very stressful for me the few months before my exam and I literally had no choice but to lean on God to get me through. I knew if I failed it would break me, it would be my last straw. The day of my exam, all that could go wrong with the systems did, I had anxiety, but when I received the letter that I passed, I felt victory and wept. I survived the process of becoming a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and it was all because, I remembered my why and knew I was deserving.
Now I know you are wondering, “Where are all the juicy details about what was so hard for you?”. The reason I am choosing to not go too in-depth of my personal life is because, I don’t want the time you are taking out to read this post to be about me or you comparing your journey to mines. My hope is for you to get a glimpse into my journey, that it inspires you to reflect on your own journey, and become motivated. Anytime someone speaks with me about feeling they want to give up, I don’t tell them “well let me tell you what I been through”, instead I share with them these 2 tips. I always suggest:
- Remember your why!
- Acknowledge that you deserve this victory!
Remembering your why will always re-ignited the fire in you that you need to persevere. Usually it was one incident, one book, one talk, one person, one experience that caused you to think that this might be the route to go. Over time you may have received reminders or compliments from others that suggested this was for you. Guess what?! That’s because, it si for you and even if you were to find out it is not, I bet you it will eventually lead you where you are supposed to go.
Let’s do an exercise!
I suggest you take a moment right now and identify one reason that fills your soul, not
out of obligation, that you chose to pursue your particular goal.
Give yourself a moment to just be.
Notice the sensation you feel associated with that memory.
Breathe. Inhale through your nose, hold for 4 seconds, then exhale through your mouth.
Use that to fuel your fire!
Acknowledging that you deserve this victory needs no explanation. It is simple, you are trying, you are working hard, you are figure things out, so “why not you?”. Before today ends do yourself a favor and just like I did above, reflect on your journey thus far. Identify where your testimony lives. Identify your ups and your downs. Read it whenever you need a reminder. Make a promise to yourself that you will persevere because, YOU DO DESERVE THIS!
Always Live Lovely,
Chetina
Helpful Resources:
Need tips on how to accomplish your goals this year…read this blog post here.
Starting a new job this year…read this blog post here.
For a technique on how to overcome anxiety… read this blog post here.
Do you experience suicidal thoughts…read this blog post here.
For more information about finding a therapist in your area refer to the resource page http://alwayslivelovely.com/resources/ .
Written : January 18, 2020
***DISCLAIMER***
Although I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), the contents on this blog are provided for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the specialized training and judgment of a health care or mental health professional. There is no Therapist-Client relationship created by accessing the information on this blog. Always seek the help of a physician or qualified mental health professional if you have any questions regarding a medical or mental health condition. Always Live Lovely is not held responsible for the use of the information provided. Reliance on any of the information provided by this blog only is solely at your own risk. Please see Health Disclaimer for further information alwayslivelovely.com/health-disclaimer/ .