Photo by Neal Fowler

By Jerrica Ching

As an intern therapist I have had the privilege for sitting with clients for the past 9 months, hearing stories of pain, perseverance, hardship, and resilience.  As my time as an intern draws to a close as I prepare for graduation, I have sometimes found myself fixated on immediately proposing a solution to a problem.  This is in stark contrast to my firm belief that it is not a therapist’s job to fix anyone who sits in that room with us.  I feel that a therapist’s duty is to walk with a client through a journey of self-discovery, but I as a therapist am not meant to magically cure a person of all trials and tribulations.  I also found myself very frustrated when a client told me that what I had recommended did not work, or that the client did not want to do anything that I suggested.

My supervisor once provided an analogy of the work of a car mechanic and the work of a therapist.  She told me that when my car’s maintenance light comes on, I can take it to a repair shop and a mechanic can determine what the problem is.  If new parts are placed into the car, old pieces removed, and the maintenance light goes away, that is proof to me that the mechanic did his job and performed it correctly and effectively.  With a therapist, I am my work.  There is no tangible way to enter a client’s mind, rummage through what is necessary or deteriorating, or add new parts to it.  This is why, she explained, the behavior and words of a client can often become overly personalized for a therapist.  Did the client not listen because he does not like me?  Did my intervention not work because I don’t know what I am talking about?  Questions such as these regarding my competence in this profession have been swirling throughout my head for the past two months.

I am being reminded that whatever a client chooses to do or not to do is not a reflection of who I am as a therapist, nor is it a reflection of my potential success in the field.  I am reminded that although I help a client navigate through the process of unearthing hidden strengths and resources, it is not I but God who is the true miracle worker.  God has given me the gift of helping and serving others, but ‘fixing and curing all problems’ is not part of my job description.  What I deem as best for the client in the moment may not be what God deems as best for the client in their lifetime.  Having this simple reminder that God is in control allows me maintain my focus on being a helper, not a healer.

Sometimes I think this is not only applicable to the mental health field, but also to any helping profession, where those within these fields have a strong sense of justice and doing what is right for others.  To those of you who have ever felt similarly, I hope that this brings you as much comfort as it has for me:

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God. –Philippians 1:9-11 NIV

Jerrica K. F. Ching will be graduating on May 1, 2015 with an MA in Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling from George Fox University.  She received a B.A. in Psychology and a Minor in Dance from The University of Hawaii at Manoa.  She is currently an intern therapist at Lower Columbia Mental Health Center in Longview, WA and Concordia University in Portland, OR.