We be curious about you.

I'm honestly feeling a little uninspired today. Today was really busy with 5 clients and my brain is feeling a little mushy.

I've had several ideas about what to write about today. Part of what I want to come from this blog is connection, understanding, and humanizing. So today is going to be a bit about humanizing the clinician and responding to questions I've heard or received from clients over the years.

Have you ever wondered if your dietitian and/or therapist thinks about you once you don't see them anymore? The answer is most likely yes.

Have you ever wondered if your dietitian and/or therapist thinks about you outside of your sessions? The answer is most likely yes.

I've worked in the mental health field for a little over 15 years now. I can 100% say that myself and other providers regularly think about their current and former clients (outside of session when they obviously are).

It is common for us to wonder how former clients are doing. For me, I'd say this happens almost weekly. Something will randomly remind me of a client. I'll see their name come up in our EHR. One of the therapists I work with might mention them. A client I'm currently seeing might remind me of a former client - or even know a former client!

We wonder about all kinds of things.

We wonder if they've gotten married. Did they have kids? If so, how many? We wonder how pregnancy and postpartum went with their recovery. We hope they're doing ok.

We wonder where they might be living now. What are they doing for work? We hope they have found some peace.

Of course, we wonder how they are doing in their ED recovery. Did they continue to progress in their recovery? Did they relapse? Did they have to go to or back to a treatment center? How is their health and well-being? We hope they are happy and healthy.

Guess what else we love? When a former client reaches out to update you about their life! It makes us so happy and full of joy to hear from you --- because we really do wonder how you are! I had a former, long-term client update me about a month-ish ago. I read their email update with tears in my eyes. To see any client living a life full of possibility, when at one point they didn't believe it was in the cards for them, is beyond special. We hold space for what is possible when it feels impossible to them. We believed in you the whole time.

I've also been doing this long enough that I've had 3 former clients go on to be ED therapists!! Now that is a uniquely special experience. What a full circle moment.

All our clients hold special places in our hearts. It is such an honor to be part of and a witness to their healing journey.

Pact Day 4 of 5 ✅