Well…we did it.
The first week is officially in the books.
For some of you, that means you survived your first week as a counseling intern.
For others, you survived getting your kids through their first week of school.
And I use the word survived with love. 😊
Because the first week of anything new can be exciting, overwhelming, exhausting, wonderful, terrifying—and sometimes all of those things before lunch.
To My Interns…
You did it!
You walked through the doors and officially started this crazy, exciting journey from student to therapist.
Maybe you shadowed your first session.
Maybe you sat through an intake and thought, “There is SO much to remember.”
Maybe you opened TherapyNotes and wondered where on earth you were supposed to click.
Maybe you watched your supervisor do something with a child and thought, “How did she know to do that?”
Or maybe you had one of those little moments when you thought:
“Oh my gosh. I think I can actually do this.”
I hope you did.
But if you didn’t have that moment yet, that’s okay too.
Because here’s the thing I want you to remember throughout this entire year:
You aren’t supposed to know everything yet.
If you already knew how to do all of this, you wouldn’t need an internship!
This is your year to learn.
Ask the question—even if you think it’s a silly one.
Watch your supervisors.
Try things.
Make mistakes.
Talk about those mistakes in supervision.
Try again.
Be uncomfortable sometimes.
And please don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.
You are learning how to become a therapist, and that takes time.
Most importantly, start watching for your Bright Spots.
The child who smiles when they see you.
The parent who tells you something is getting better at home.
The first time you recognize a play theme.
The note you write that doesn’t take you forever.
The moment your supervisor says, “Exactly!”
And eventually, that magical moment when you realize you knew what to do without having to ask anyone first.
Those moments matter.
Save them.
Because this work can be hard, and on the hard days, I want you to remember the good ones too.
And to the Parents…
Guess what?
You made it through the first week too.
Getting kids back to school is no joke.
New schedules. Earlier mornings. Lunches. Backpacks. Water bottles. Forms. Emails. Activities. Bedtimes.
And somehow there is ALWAYS something you’re supposed to sign that your child remembers at approximately 9:47 p.m.
Then you ask:
“How was school?”
And after waiting all day to hear about it, you get:
“Fine.”
Awesome. 😂
But here’s something important to remember during these first few weeks.
Your kids are adjusting too.
Even when they’re excited about school.
They’re learning new expectations, figuring out friendships, navigating new teachers, sitting still longer, managing noise and stimulation, and working really hard to hold it together all day.
So sometimes they come home and completely fall apart.
They’re grumpy.
They’re emotional.
They’re exhausted.
They’re fighting with their siblings.
And you’re wondering what happened to the child you dropped off that morning.
Sometimes, home is simply where they finally feel safe enough to let it all out.
Give them some time.
Give yourself some time too.
Maybe instead of asking, “How was school?”, try:
What made you laugh today?
Who did you sit by?
What was something hard today?
What was something you’re proud of?
What are you hoping happens tomorrow?
And sometimes?
Don’t ask anything.
Give them a snack.
Let them decompress.
Sit beside them.
Connection doesn’t always require conversation.
Look for the Bright Spots
Whether you’re learning to become a therapist or learning how to navigate another school year, don’t expect yourself to have everything figured out after one week.
Growth usually doesn’t happen in giant, obvious moments.
It happens in tiny ones.
Something that was scary becomes a little less scary.
Something that was confusing starts making sense.
You handle something today that would have overwhelmed you last week.
Your child walks into school without looking back.
Your intern asks a really thoughtful clinical question.
A child finally talks about something they’ve been holding inside.
Those are the moments I don’t want us to miss.
Those are the Bright Spots.
So heading into week two, you don’t need to have the rest of the year figured out.
Neither do your kids.
Neither do my interns.
Just keep showing up.
Keep learning.
Keep giving yourself—and the people around you—a little grace.
And, as I tell my interns:
Watch. Wait. Wonder.
Stay curious.
Lead with connection.
Trust the process.
And don’t forget to celebrate the fact that…
YOU MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK! ❤️
