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A Therapist's Journal

reflections and meditations

from along the way…

Transformative Justice for All: Abolition and Survivorhood

Working with survivors of sexual assault for the past 10 years has offered me the chance to learn from a wide breadth of stories and experiences. I am grateful to every person who has allowed me to witness and be with their pain for even the briefest moment. Everyone’s story is unique, but I have been reflecting on the common desire among many survivors to incarcerate people who hurt them. 

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Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Get Pissed Off

Since I began my social work career nine years ago, I have worked closely with survivors of sexual violence. Even before that, like everyone else, I grew up in a world where rape culture and sexual violence are the air that we breathe. Discussing sexual trauma brings up a range of emotions like disgust, sadness and fear but I primarily become enraged. I’ve been a social worker for a long time, but I’ve been pissed off for longer. 

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Tanvi Yenna
Honoring Self-Love Month in January

When I learned January is Self-Love month, I sort of giggled. Whoever minted that the theme of this month knew exactly what they were doing. During this time of year, we are surrounded by narratives of making great change aimed at self-improvement, and so much of that has to do with our bodies. January may be officially Self-Love month, but I usually feel sad about how many people openly yet implicitly talk about disgust and disappointment with their bodies

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Tanvi Yenna
Year End Reflections (Part 2): How to Know If Your Therapist Is Still the Right Fit

There is something truly magical about a long-term relationship with an amazing therapist who feels like the perfect fit for you. And taking the time to periodically re-evaluate the relationship is a good habit to get into. Here are some questions you might ask yourself to reflect on your relationship with your therapist:

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Election Day: Anxiety Amidst Change

The game of winning or losing elections completely overshadows the real issues that affect people’s daily lives. None of the parties that have the most power and influence propose or implement policies that people desperately need, like affordable housing and accessible healthcare.

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Meet Our New Clinician: Tanvi Yenna

My journey as a social worker started with supporting those who have experienced interpersonal violence and trauma. I'm also passionate about working with individuals 14 and older who come from diverse backgrounds and have a wide range of life experiences.

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COVID-19 Update #2

We are at a critical time with respect to the spread of the coronavirus. The actions we take today could be the difference between life and death for thousands of people. The time to implement social distancing and isolation is now.

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Benita Joy
Burnout

Recent years have seen an uptick in the wellness and mental health community calling for self-care as the antidote to burnout. I'm calling bullshit.

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Benita Joy
Inner Critic to Inner Critique

Where did you learn that you weren’t enough? Who told you that you were lacking? When did you stop believing in the implicit worth, dignity, value, completeness, and beauty of your soul and personhood? Do you even remember?

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Benita Joy
The Power of No

No. Just no. No need for explanations or alternatives. Let them misunderstand. Let them speculate. Let them judge. You don’t always have to explain yourself. No matter how uncomfortable you feel.

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Benita Joy
Held, But Softly

Maybe your story is not “being written”; maybe you are the one writing it. And perhaps these are the moments when the universe hands you the pen and you get to tell your tale of extraordinary courage.

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Benita JoyComment