Each day as I get ready for work, I put on a chain of 3 saint medals. These saints serve as a reminder to be the kind of therapist, and in general, the kind of person that I want to be.
All 3 holy women remind me that my faith is not only something for myself, but something to share. This is another reason I wear my medals. Countless people I have worked with have asked me about them. They serve as an open invitation for patients to ask me about my faith or discuss topics like their purpose here on Earth or even death. Regardless of whether or not we agree on the subject, there has never been a time I regretted being able to share and discuss faith with people.
A beautiful example that stands out in my mind is my experience with Dean. I previously introduced him as being the man with late stage Huntington’s Disease whom I feared. One day after psyching myself up to go see Dean, something very different happened in our session that changed our relationship.
I had come day after day trying to engage him in his self care or exercises with no success. That day I simply decided to come in and do them for him. And as I gently washed his face, changed his diaper and clothes, combed his hair, etc. I began to talk. I did not ask questions or say anything that demanded a response on his part, but simply continuously commented and told little stories as I went.
For once Dean looked peaceful and he listened silently. Then I noticed him staring at my medals. Finally he broke the silence.
“How do I pray?” he asked softly. I couldn’t believe my ears. The man who tried to throw me was now asking me how to pray.
“Well,” I said, shaking off the shock, “there is no one way to pray. It’s really just talking to God. You can say prayers like a Hail Mary or the rosary but it doesn’t have to be like that. Just talk to God about what’s important to you.” I paused. “You can even be mad when you talk to him…just talk.”
I don’t know fully what Dean made of my hasty, lame explanation, but he seemed content as he remained quietly watching while I finished our session.
I became a therapist because I want to help people. I want to be a part of people’s lives and help them create positive changes in their own lives. As a therapist, I was not able to be that for Dean. But in this moment and many others like it, working to be a vessel of faith is what made the real impact. Through faith, Dean was able to find a little peace. We connected on a deeper, more human level and from that day on, we understood one another a little better.
