While Pride Month is often a celebration of queer love and joy, it’s important to remember the ways that judgment and oppression makes members of the LGBTQ+ community vulnerable.

Towards the end of our therapy session together, I found myself reflecting on a few of the things Jeremy had mentioned that stuck out to me. In talking about the process of personal growth and change, my client asked, "Why does changing your life for the better have to be so difficult? Why do I feel weak and inadequate talking about my problems? I don’t like feeling uncomfortable”.

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves. From living up to the demands of our careers, body images, etc., we feel that we have a lot to live up to. In my experience, clients feel that what they're doing is inadequate.

There are many good reasons to start therapy, personal growth, self-empowerment, learning new skills. But when it comes to making the first appointment, it is not uncommon to second guess your decision.

We are all varying levels of exhausted and it is no wonder considering what we’ve been through in the last year. When the outside world becomes too much to bear, closing ourselves in and withdrawing is one way of trying to mitigate the over-stimulation. The short-term benefits may be immediately evident, and how do we find ways that support long-term relief from drastic fatigue?

When our loved ones are struggling with mental health, we look for various ways to relieve them of this burden. We may try to distract them, make them laugh, or go on trips. However, when the topic of therapy is brought up, things become difficult. While some may be open to going to therapy, others may want time to figure out how to handle things for themselves.