What motivates someone to become a therapist?

Why would someone want to be a coach?

And generally why help someone else on their journey?

I find there is nothing more rewarding than experiencing a human being walk away feeling freer, lighter and optimistic of their own personal journey after having suffered emotional, psychological or physical pain.

Knowing that you have had played a part in affecting the life of another person from giving hope when they’re feeling hopeless to inspiring someone to be all that they are capable of being.

Joining a human being on a journey of self discovery, getting excited about the future and the possibilities life does has to offer. To see lives transformed as a result of liberating “aha” moments.

Inspiration and hope

So why did I become a therapist?

It was a late summer’s day in 2010. I’d left work, picked up the kids from school, taken them home and was preparing dinner. I was feeling frustrated with my life and work situation.

We were living on a smallholding quite a bit outside of our village. There were no like-minded families or friends with children. We also lived too far out of the village for the kids to walk to school and kindergarten.  (which by the way is TOTALLY normal in Switzerland).

There was a main road that the children would have to cross, even if the distance was doable. Cars driving 80 km/hr (or faster) and a big curve in the road with high grass made visibility extremely difficult for short people. Also walking through the fields where they might be exposed to other “dangers”.

I had no real friends. Not growing up in Switzerland didn’t give me the opportunity to establish and nurture relationships. I also went back to work fairly early for various reasons.

All the other mothers that I had met or knew, were stay at home mums. They used to meet up for coffee regularly and would go to the park or generally just to hang out with each other for the kids to play. And I was at work getting more frustrated by the day.

Upgrading or personal development

Now don’t get me wrong… I had a great job with enough challenges and variety to keep me busy and active. I also earned enough to allow us to take a vacation once a year. There was just that feeling of missing out (FOMO) somewhere and not developing as a person.

I realised that I needed to either upgrade my training skills for work by either getting an education as an accountant or bookkeeper. Maybe payroll manager or in another field within human resources, where I was employed at the time. The other alternative was to do something totally different to enhance my personal development. Study psychology or something similar?

I never was a good student because I hated school as a kid. (even though I was classified as being intelligent…. and was invited to a special school for kids with above average capabilities). So relying on my salary, going to college or university to study psychology full-time was out of the question. There had to be something else.

Introducing alternative methods of therapy

I had been seeing a kinesiologist during that year, with my kids for issues they were having. Lack of concentration, trouble learning, low self esteem was part of the agenda. Headaches (that were medically examined with no illness identified) and a 6 year old questioning the meaning of life…. also a bit of a challenge.

I was positively amazed at the safe, non-invasive method of helping the kids to regain their self confidence (which in retrospect was a result of bullying). Reduction of  anxiety before school tests, and headaches that at first moved to stomach ache and then disappeared.

So back to the summer of 2010 when a flyer fluttered into our postbox.

It was for a weekend course for Brain Gym® – educational kinesiology. I decided to investigate further and requested various brochures from different institutions.

I have always been interested in medicine/complementary medicine. The basics and structures of health and medicine, as my mom was a pharmacist. It was also always important for me to integrate complementary health for my family and friends and consider methods that may be a little off the “mainstream”.

Possible opportunities

I made the decision, after analyzing all the possibilities, to enroll for a basic course in the fundamentals of Kinesiology. Primarily for my own benefit and maybe to be able to support and assist my kids with issues that might surface.

I was nervous at the thought of going “back to school” and worried that I would be the oldest student. However, I was pleasantly surprised that:

1. I was not the oldest,
2. There were many more people who thought like i did.

I wasn’t a unicorn…

I was grateful for the opportunity to take the year course with the same people.

The trust, connection and friendships we built over the time was invaluable.

Within the first two months I knew that was the direction I wanted to take. I resolved to attend the entire training to become an integrative kinesiologist at the “IKAMED” in Zurich.

Initially I had set out to just develop myself personally. In the meantime, i had gained so much knowledge and experience. the next question was, what do I want to do with all these skills acquired. An am I suited to help other people?

Self confidence and limiting beliefs

I myself had struggled with self confidence and limiting beliefs. As a therapist and knowing the value of getting help, I entertained the thought of further education instead of just getting “therapy” or supervision. Supervision remains a part of growing and developing myself as a therapist and person (in general).

BUT, and that’s the thing about further education, when do you ever stop learning and when do you start being of service to others.

And no amount of reading and learning, can make anyone a better therapist.

Hold your breath for part II, if you can…

You can read more about me here and here