someone I admire; who inspires me everyday

As a part of my Tuesday at Ten prompt “Who do you admire/who inspires you” it was so easy as to who I would write about as “this someone” has had such an impact on my life for the past 8 years.

This person who I admire and who inspires me is my therapist Andy; someone who has taught me so much, and has helped me to see the things I could never see before I took the steps to healing.

Andy is such a wonderful person who has so much to teach and give others; someone who uses that god given gift as a way to help people heal and live — just as he has done for me.

I look to his wisdom as a way to see things that are sometimes hard to see, and he inspires me to be a better person everyday because of his wisdom and the person that he is.

Andy and I have been working alongside each other on this amazing journey for a little over 8 years now. 8 years healing alongside someone who inspires me to keep my feet on the path of healing moving forward on days where the path seems impossible to conqueror.

When I was as little as 6 years old, I remember sitting and rocking alone in the closet and praying to God that I wished I had someone I could trust telling all my big secrets to; the secrets that had me living in silence for so long. The secrets that kept the pain hidden deep within.

I remember asking God in a prayer for someone who could hear and help take away the big scary feelings that I was holding alone. This was an everyday prayer in between the abuse, pain and loneliness I endured day-to-day.

I imagined having a person who would hear my story, and keep that story in a safe box so I didn’t have to hold it alone; someone who would believe when others told me “no one ever will”.

30 years later, God finally answered my prayers. I look at it as, God knew I was strong enough to heal by taking those steps that lead me to this healing path — — and awaiting on the other side of this journey was a God chosen therapist who would have such a huge impact on my life, and my healing journey; someone who is very near and dear to my heart.

From the moment I walked into the therapy room a little over 8 years ago, Andy has truly made me feel like this space of healing is mine; a place where using my voice would never be a consequence — yet met with love, care and support.

He has taught me so much about safe connection when connection didn’t feel safe. He has helped me to find and use my voice as a way to heal, and become the person that God created me to be.

He was someone who taught me what the touch of “his finger to my finger” meant in connection and how that was the beginning of a safe connection and a safe relationship, and the beginning of big steps towards internal healing.

Taking that step into therapy was one of the most vulnerable scariest things I have ever done in my life; but because of the therapist and person Andy is, I found a place of true healing, and I still continue to every day as I take more and more steps through and forward.

Because of him, I found what connection to life meant; no longer being a prisoner behind walls of lies from the past.

I believe God chose my therapist Andy for this role he has had in my healing, and I am so grateful that God chose him.

God has truly given him a gift … I imagine so many other people have been touched and healed by his big caring heart and wisdom filled teachings — I know I have and I truly am honored to walk this path and continue to walk this healing path with him.

Thank you so much Andy for your wisdom, insight and guidance — — for your support care and big heart. God truly had a plan for you and you are living that plan by helping others to heal.

Therapy is a hard vulnerable process, but a process that I know has taken me to many different places on this journey that I could not do alone, and I am healing every day as a result of that ..

thank you so much Andy for being who you are. You are truly one of my favorite people.