therapist

Why I Love Being a Psychotherapist

Why I Love Being a Psychotherapist: The Deep Fulfillment of Helping Others Heal

As a psychotherapist, my work is both challenging and deeply rewarding. There are many reasons why I love what I do—reasons that go beyond the intellectual aspects of therapy or the technical skills I’ve acquired over the years. Being a psychotherapist is not just about helping people overcome mental health struggles; it’s about creating connections, fostering healing, and witnessing the profound transformations that can happen when individuals are given the tools and support to thrive. Here are a few reasons why I absolutely love being a psychotherapist.

1. The Privilege of Being Part of Someone’s Healing Journey

One of the most profound aspects of being a psychotherapist is the privilege of walking alongside someone as they navigate their healing journey. Clients often come to therapy feeling broken, lost, or overwhelmed by their struggles. They may have faced years of unresolved trauma, chronic anxiety, or depression that has shaped how they view themselves and the world. The trust they place in me as their therapist to help them heal is humbling, and I never take that responsibility lightly.

Being part of their process—from their first hesitant steps into therapy to witnessing the breakthroughs and growth they experience—brings me a deep sense of fulfillment. There’s nothing quite like seeing someone gain new insight into their own life, find the strength to confront their fears, and develop healthier coping strategies. Every moment of progress, no matter how small, is a reminder of the impact that therapy can have on a person’s life.

2. The Power of Connection and Empathy

At the core of psychotherapy is human connection. As a therapist, I am privileged to form a deep, empathetic bond with people from all walks of life. Listening to their stories, understanding their emotions, and being a source of comfort and support is incredibly fulfilling. Many people come to therapy feeling isolated, misunderstood, or unseen. One of the most important aspects of therapy is providing a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can express their thoughts and emotions openly without fear of criticism.

As a therapist, I use my own empathy to tune into the emotional landscape of my clients. The act of truly listening, validating their experiences, and offering support through their struggles fosters a strong therapeutic alliance. I find immense joy in connecting with others on a human level and in helping clients feel seen and heard for who they truly are.

3. The Constant Learning and Growth

Being a psychotherapist is a career that demands continuous learning and growth. The field of mental health is constantly evolving, with new research, treatment modalities, and therapeutic approaches emerging all the time. This keeps me intellectually engaged and motivated to improve my craft. Every client is unique, and each therapeutic relationship brings its own set of challenges and rewards. The work pushes me to think critically, to expand my knowledge, and to continually refine my skills.

I also learn a great deal from my clients. Each individual brings their own perspective, life experiences, and wisdom. By listening to their stories, I gain a deeper understanding of human nature, resilience, and the capacity for change. This process of mutual growth—where both the client and the therapist learn from one another—is one of the reasons I am so passionate about my work.

4. Seeing the Transformative Power of Therapy

The transformations that take place in therapy can be awe-inspiring. One of the things I love most about being a psychotherapist is witnessing clients overcome obstacles they once thought insurmountable. Whether it’s someone learning to manage their anxiety, rebuilding their self-esteem, or healing from past trauma, the changes that happen over time are often profound and life-changing.

There are moments in therapy where a client experiences a breakthrough—where they gain clarity about their thoughts, emotions, or behavior patterns. These “aha” moments, when they can see things from a new perspective or realize their own inner strength, are incredibly rewarding to witness. It’s a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of therapy, and it’s one of the reasons I love doing this work.

5. Helping People Build Resilience

Another aspect of my work that I love is helping people build resilience. Life is full of challenges—relationship issues, job stress, family dynamics, grief, or chronic mental health conditions—and being able to help clients develop the tools and mindset to navigate these challenges is immensely satisfying. Therapy isn’t just about alleviating symptoms; it’s about equipping individuals with the skills they need to face life’s difficulties with strength, adaptability, and confidence.

Through therapy, I help clients learn healthier coping strategies, improve their emotional regulation, and develop problem-solving skills. I teach them how to set boundaries, manage stress, and navigate difficult relationships. Watching clients grow into more resilient individuals who can face adversity with a sense of agency and empowerment is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job.

6. The Impact on the Broader Community

While therapy primarily impacts the individual client, I believe it also has a ripple effect on the broader community. When people heal, they are better equipped to contribute positively to their families, workplaces, and communities. A person who has worked through their emotional difficulties is more likely to foster healthy relationships, engage in compassionate actions, and bring their best selves to the world around them. The collective impact of improved mental health on society is significant, and knowing that my work plays a role in that is deeply fulfilling.

7. The Deep Gratitude I Feel for My Clients

Finally, one of the most rewarding aspects of being a psychotherapist is the gratitude I feel for my clients. I am constantly in awe of their courage. It takes immense strength to face one’s own pain and seek help. As a therapist, I am continually inspired by the resilience and perseverance of those who come to me for support. Their willingness to engage in the therapeutic process and work through their struggles is a reminder of the incredible potential for growth and healing within all of us.

Conclusion

Being a psychotherapist is not just a career—it’s a calling. The privilege of helping others navigate their emotional challenges, guiding them through the process of healing, and witnessing their growth is an indescribable reward. Every day, I am reminded of why I love this work: because it allows me to connect with others in meaningful ways, to facilitate transformation, and to contribute to the betterment of individuals and, by extension, society. It’s a deeply fulfilling journey that constantly enriches my own life and inspires me to continue learning and growing alongside my clients.

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D

Disney therapist mom here ☀️

 

 

A black and white image of the word justice.Yep, Disney mom proud and all pure love of everything Disney.

It’s interesting, often people will ask me as a therapist what do you get out of Disney? What’s the mental health piece? As I often refer to Disney as my very expensive self-care.

Truth is Disney brings me back to basic. Disney reminds of the simple joys that as we grow older we tend to miss, forget, or no longer notice.

Disney elicits the essence of mindfulness to see the child’s great big smile when in awe of the park. Or to notice the connection of families. The happiness individuals feel and it rays like sunshine on a warm day simply walking through the park.

Disney reminds me that life is complicated and sure this is accurate, yes, of course, but there’s also so much joy. So much pure, authentic joy and happiness, absolutely incredible.

Disney reminds me of when I was a child and the happiness that I felt every second in the park with my parents. Embracing my inner child gives me the opportunity to connect with some of the deepest layers of myself while at Disney.

Disney allows me to grow, to evolve. There’s so much knowledge in Disney. So much to learn, and that opportunity I take every single time.

Disney allows me to practice mindfulness, to be present in the experience and enjoy the seconds vs. planning for the next.

Disney provides me awe moments, you know the moments that take your breath away? The moments that make me feel alive, vibrant, and connected to others and something bigger.

Disney may not be everyone’s favorite place in the world, but it’s mine.

So this Disney therapist mom wanted to share for just a moment the joy that Disney brings to me and my mental health. Feeling truly grateful.

Love, sincerely the Disney therapist mama â¤ï¸

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D

10 ways to live a more fulfilling healthier and happy life today:


So we all want to live a healthy and happy life right? Sometimes we don’t feel fulfilled in the everyday routine. We get stuck in the autopilot of it all. It gets exhausting, maybe even draining.

Let’s talk about 10 simple ways you can begin to implement today to live a more fulfilling healthier and happier life today.

  1. Practice gratitude

Choose each day to show up with a grateful heart. Even for the small things in your life, food you eat, roof over your head. This can all adjust the way you see and feel about your life and world.

  1. Choose to smile

There’s a ton of research that shows smiling helps us internally as well as externally. It helps us feel lighter and more at ease, plus it costs nothing. Try it out today.

  1. Mindfulness

Living a mindful life allows one to be present in all of your feelings and experiences, the more present we are the more regulated we become.

  1. Say no

Say no to people, places and things that don’t align to what truly makes your soul happy.

  1. Practice Healthy Boundaries

Boundaries are essential. They are a perfect example of self- care. The healthier boundaries we choose the happier life we live.

  1. Exercise

Get moving, exercise increases endorphins that help us feel good. Get moving today.

  1. Surround yourself with people that love and truly care about you

When you surround yourself with a healthy team, you yourself begin to make healthier choices for you.

  1. Live for your moments

The moments that take your breathe away. Live and be those moments.

Manage Stress

Be conscious and aware of your stress. If it gets too high it’s time to implement something different.

  1. Choose goals that are realistic

Set goals that are realistic and achievable. Be kind to yourself. Choose compassion.

So today is your day, your day to begin living a happier and healthier life. Which of the 10 will you start to incorporate in your life? New Day Vitality is here to help.

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D

Let’s get moving, how to become unstuck in life.


So sometimes in life we’re stuck. Like seriously stuck. Have you felt this way? Have you ever felt stuck in a space, in a job, in an environment, in a relationship? If you answered yes to any of these questions this blog may be a healthy start on how to get moving and unstuck in your life.

Let go of the past

It’s hard, we know. We have all been there. But the longer you live in the past, the longer you will stay idle.

Explore your purpose.

Engage with your purpose, explore it. Does the life you live now engage with that purpose? If not it maybe time to shift.

Here’s some helpful questions to explore purpose.

What makes me happy and brings me joy?
What were my favorite things to do in my past?
What’s makes my soul happy now?
Who or what inspires me the most, and why is that?
What and who makes me feel good about myself?

Practice compassion

Practicing compassion can help one feel more present and unstuck in the routine. Do you practice self compassion? And if you do what does it look like? If you don’t, it’s probably time to start today.

Check out these 10 ways below directly from Tiny Buddha:

1. Transform your mindset.

Sadly, it’s often challenging to lift yourself up (particularly if you’re feeling really low or ashamed), but if you want to create compassion for yourself, you have to change your mindset.

For me, self-compassion started with changing my thoughts. I started focusing on the fact that my behaviorwas bad, not me. Once I started labeling behavior (instead of myself as whole), I was able to be kinder to myself and open up my mind to the possibility that I could make changes.

2. Speak (and think!) kindly about yourself.

Hand in hand with the first step is speaking and thinking kindly about yourself. Your words are incredibly powerful, and if you continuously tell yourself you’re unworthy, a mess, or unforgiveable, you’ll soon start to believe it.

I did this for a long time, calling myself things like “crazy” or “out of control,” but once I started changing my words, stopping myself every time I wanted to laugh off my behavior with a negative label, I began having more compassion for myself.

I was a person making bad choices, not a bad person. If you struggle with this step, imagine talking about yourself as you would talk about your best friend.

3. Forgive yourself for your mistakes.

Forgiveness is vital for self-compassion. We all make mistakes, but not all of us forgive ourselves for them. Depending on the mistake, this can be a very daunting task, but keep in mind that you cannot go back (no matter how badly you might want to), so the best thing to do is to choose forgiveness and forward motion.

Whenever I did something inappropriate, instead of shrugging it off or excusing my behavior, I started apologizing for it, both to others and to myself. Again, I focused on the fact that I wasn’t bad; it was my behavior that was.

4. Spend time doing things you truly enjoy.

If you’re struggling with shame, enjoying pleasurable activities can be seen as something you don’t deserve. But each and every one of us deserves to engage in joyful, uplifting, and exciting experiences.

Allowing yourself to experience true happiness”to take time from your life to do something you love”is an act of compassion.

When I found myself feeling ashamed for a mistake I’d made, I began making a conscious effort to understand what situation provoked that act and I strove to make choices that put me in more positive situations.

5. Strive to avoid judgments and assumptions.

Though assumptions and judgments are often based on experience or knowledge of some sort, it’s very hard to predict what will happen in life. When you judge yourself or make an assumption about what you will do in the future, you don’t give yourself an opportunity to choose a different path. Instead of limiting yourself, be open to all possibilities.

In my situation, I started assuming that I shouldn’t go to an event because I would inevitably cause a scene and have to leave. Little did I know that I’d eventually learn, with the help of therapy and self-compassion, to socialize sober. I had assumed that I would always be “wild,” but I’ve learned that you cannot know the future. Assumptions will only inhibit you.

6. Find common ground with others.

While self-compassion is about the way you care for yourself, one of the best ways to cultivate it is to create connections with others. When you open yourself up to sharing who you are with others, you’ll soon see that you’re not alone.

We all struggle to treat ourselves with kindness, and recognizing this can make the struggle more manageable.

At some point, I began admitting to friends and family that I had a problem. It was difficult to open up emotionally, but the more I did, the more I discovered that I wasn’t alone. Creating these stronger emotional ties made it so much easier to deal with my personal shame and to work toward more self-compassion.

7. Take care of your mind and your body.

One of the most compassionate things you can do for yourself is take care of your mind and body. Spend as much time as possible absorbing new information, and be sure to fill your mind and body with positive things (healthy food, good conversations, wisdom, etc.). Being mindful of what you consume and what you do with your energy is an important part of self-compassion.

Once I began doing this, I was able to recognize what did and didn’t make me feel good about myself. Admittedly, I didn’t always continue to seek out positive things (and still struggle to do so at times), but the awareness of what would and wouldn’t impact my mind and body positively gave me the opportunity to make more conscious, compassionate choices for myself.

8. Pay attention to where your passion lies.

Most of us are passionate about something. We have things that really matter to us ¾ a career, a hobby, our loved ones. Whatever it is that gets you excited, allow yourself to focus on that, and do what you can to spend more time enjoying it. Self-compassion means allowing yourself to be passionate, without shame or fear.

Around the time I started trying to get sober, I realized that my issues with alcohol were a reflection of deeper issues within my heart and mind. I started thinking more about my mindset and, as I explored this, I decided to start a blog to share what I found. It was at that time that my passion for self-discovery and my passion for writing merged, and Positively Present was born!

9. Realize it’s not all about you.

Rather than focusing on how we see ourselves, we often direct our attention to how we think others see us. It’s important not to do this for two reasons: (1) we don’t ever really know what others think and (2) more often than not, others aren’t thinking about you.

Letting go of external validation is a very compassionate choice.

It took me a long time to overcome this, particularly when it came to giving up drinking. For a long while, it felt like everyone was judging me, either because they thought I had a problem or, worse still, they themselves had a drinking problem and couldn’t understand why I was quitting.

As time passed, I discovered that most people didn’t care whether or not I drank”they just wanted me to be happy”and realizing this made it so much easier to do what was best for me.

10. Cultivate acceptance (even for your flaws).

Just because you accept something doesn’t mean that you like it. We all have attributes we don’t love, but the more you focus on accepting the things you cannot change, the more content you become with who you are.

One of the great challenges that came with my sobriety was realizing that I didn’t, in fact, like partying and barhopping as much as I’d claimed to. I’d made these things such a big part of my identity, and recognizing and accepting that they weren’t “me” was difficult (particularly because I had to overcome the notion that “introverted” was a negative characteristic).

I still struggle at times with being introverted”I often wish I could be social butterfly”but accepting my limitations and my true nature has been the greatest act of self-compassion. Doing so has allowed me to direct my energy and attention to the things I love about my life: my creativity, my writing, and the people who love me just as I am.

 

“Embracing these ten tips has helped me to cultivate more compassion for myself, and I’ve found that the more compassionate I am with myself”particularly when I’ve made a mistake or feel ashamed” the more compassionate I am with others as well.

The way you treat, think about, and talk to yourself isn’t just about you. It has a ripple effect that impacts all of your relationships and all of your choices, which is why it’s so important to choose self-compassion whenever possible. It changes your life and, in a greater sense, the world as well.

Believe in yourself

Believing in yourself. Do you believe in yourself? Have you ever asked yourself that question? If not maybe it’s time.

Get out of your comfort zone

Challenging yourself to get out of your comfort zone, with that being or feeling stuck you will feel a change in alignment.

Which ones will you start today above to feel unstuck? Which ones spoke to you?

If you’re in need for more support reach out to us today. We are here and honored to be apart of your journey.

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D

Self-love and cultivating it


Self- love

We all need it. We all want it. But how do we practice self-love?

Here’s some simple ways to begin practicing self-love today:

Live in the moment, each moment of every day.

Practice gratitude. Start and keep a gratitude journal today.

Embrace change. Accept the fact that we can’t control everything.

Self-care. Ensure you practice self-care daily.

Mindfulness, practicing mindfulness can flourish self-love in many effective ways.

Eat healthy, get enough sleep. Take care of you.

Surround yourself with people who you feel safe with. Who show you love and kindness that you deserve.

Let go of toxic relationships and environments. Cleanse yourself of all that doesn’t serve you.

Forgive yourself. Forgiveness is a key ingredient to self-love.

Mediate. Take time to be with you.

Be creative. Take up a new hobby and have fun with it.

Celebrate milestones, each milestone is growth and something to celebrate.

Follow your passion. Work towards your dreams.

Journal. Journal your feelings and emotions.

Love yourself. Love yourself, your true, vibrant authentic self. Perfectly imperfect

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D