I felt totally exhausted and burned out.
When completing all of my hours during my training towards licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), I felt totally exhausted and burned out. At the end of the day, I would often come home and take a two hour nap. If I wasn’t diligent about daily exercise or taking at least a day of the week to myself without interacting with others, I would feel depleted and irritable.
Finally, I had a mentor and supervisor who recommended that I go to the Academy of Intuition Medicine in order to learn how to balance my energy system. In addition to her Marriage and Family Therapy license, she also had an energy and intuition medicine certification. She told me that I was a highly sensitive person, and that I would struggle throughout my career as a therapist if I did not learn tools to balance and protect my energy when working with others.
After decades, my supervisor still seems fully energized, happy, and successful in her practice.
At first, I had absolutely no idea what she meant by this. I did know that although I really enjoyed working with my clients, I already felt tired in my new career. I recognized that after decades, my supervisor still seemed fully energized, happy, and successful in her practice. I also enjoy trying new things so I decided to give it a shot. Most of all, I just wanted to even know what the word “energy” even meant.
Learning about energy was fascinating.
Learning about energy was fascinating, and something that I had not been taught in my traditional education. Eastern medicine such as Ayurveda and Acupuncture have explored and taught about the subtle energy systems in the human body for hundreds of years. Western cultures are beginning to integrate knowledge of subtle energy into our health care systems for more integrated and holistic care with very positive outcomes.
I have more capacity and space for the people and issues that matter the most to me.
In my new classes, I learned the basics of grounding my energy system through particular meditation techniques. The classes also included learning ways to protect my energy and refill my life force (my own unique energy) through visualization exercises. At first I had no idea if the meditations were working, but I began to practice on my own and also when working with my clients. Over time I noticed a huge shift that was absolutely undeniable. I no longer felt exhausted at the end of the day, and I could come home after a full day as a therapist and call my friends without feeling annoyed by them. I also did not need the mid day coffee that usually just made me feel anxious instead of more present. Instead I knew how to almost instantly feel grounded, present, and energized again. I no longer felt like I had to retreat conversations regarding my relationships, politics, or the environment because I was too tired or burned out. I now have more capacity and space for the people and issues that matter the most to me.
I can feel like myself no matter where I am or who I am with.
After learning tools to ground, protect, and refuel my life force energy, I now teach these tools to my clients and to others desiring knowledge of simple ways to refuel. I also know that I can be compassionate, engaged, and protective of my energy without needing to physically create distance. I can feel like myself no matter where I am or who I am with.
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