You may have noticed that I’m more consistent with my blogs at the beginning of the year and things start to taper off around the summer. That’s because I really love writing and (mostly) love sharing my writing, so focusing my energy there is usually an intention that finds its way into whatever my new year’s practice is.
One of my favorite quotes, one that I share with my clients regularly, is this quote from Rumi that was a constant companion during my yoga teacher training years ago:
“Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again, come, come.”
I read this as an invitation to start over whenever I realize I’ve veered off course. The invitation is expansive and elicits spaciousness and expansion within me. I can feel myself breathing easier with the permission to begin again, even though I have broken my vows to myself a thousand times, probably more. I can feel my heart lifting with the notion that there are others seeking, wandering, breaking their vows, and starting again together. My shoulders relax; my energy settles deeper into my core, my legs, the back of my body. What a great place to begin from. Settled. Open. Connected.
As the year and decade came to a close and as I’m preparing to celebrate 5 years in private practice this summer, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I want to spend my energy this year. (I’m grateful to Renee Sills of Embodied Astrology for getting me thinking about this through her podcast.) As I reflect on the opportunities that bring up in me the expansive qualities I just described, I’m clear that I’m ready to deepen my work with other therapists and providers who support (or want to support) marginalized clients. I get particularly excited about supporting new therapists and those in other healing professions who are just starting their practices and shaping the work with their questions and wisdom. Within these conversations, I’m always paying attention to the intersections of trauma, oppression and their impact on therapeutic relationships.
Stay tuned for some offerings created out of these passions. If you are a therapist or other healing professional, I’d love to hear from you about what you’d like to learn to improve your work with marginalized clients, especially those who identify as queer, transgender, or non-binary. Reach out at heather.branham.lcsw@gmail.com to let me know what questions are getting in your way of feeling the type of spaciousness we all want to feel when doing our work.
I hope you read this post as an invitation to reflect, connect, and begin again in whatever ways are meaningful to you.
P.S. At the end of next month I'll be presenting on Ethical, Trauma-Informed Practice with Transgender & Non-Binary Clients at the East Tennessee State University Social Work Development Conference. After my presentation, I'll be moderating a panel of service providers and community members discussing opportunities and barriers related to serving marginalized clients. I'd love to see you there!