The Strangest Job in the World
Growing up, I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do as a career. I always thought I would end up as a doctor of some sort but never actually processed what becoming a doctor entailed. For a while, I thought I wanted to be a marine biologist because I love SCUBA diving and being outside, but I did not know anyone who was a marine biologist to explain what they really do day-to-day. It was not until after I achieved my Bachelor’s degree did it start to sink in the things I actually enjoyed doing and the things I hated.
My therapy journey started when I was 18 and newly graduated from high school. I was severely depressed and scared about the future, and the few sessions I had with that first therapist ended when I started college. I felt fine for a while, but the depressed feelings came back with a vengeance. I started seeing a school counselor who was the first person who introduced me to mindfulness. She supported me until graduating in 2017. At graduation, I was working a job I thought could be my future, but it ended up being a dead-end, which made me feel hopeless and confused about the major and career path I had chosen. After leaving that job, I started seeing a new therapist: Ashley.
Ashley supported me through two difficult years of self-discovery after I finished undergrad and supported me on the path to becoming a therapist myself. In fact, after one particularly hard work day, I remember asking, “What do you think I should do with my life?” And she said, “Honestly, I can see you being a freaking awesome therapist.”
It was like a lightbulb lit up in my head. I did a minor in psychology, so I had the prerequisites covered for a Masters's program, but I wanted to make sure that this was the job for me, so I enrolled in an ‘Abnormal Psychology’ class at a community college to dip my toes into school again. I loved it, and for the first time in my memory, I could see a future for myself that did not feel bleak, depressing, and unfulfilling.
Now, in 2023, with a completed Master’s of Science degree in Counseling, I feel more at home in my body and in the world than ever before. That being said, I want to acknowledge that this is the strangest job in the world. Think about it…you come into a room with a near stranger and tell them about your trauma and they mostly sit and listen. They jump in with validation and thought-provoking questions, and then you leave, only to come back a week or two later. As someone who has always been a confidant for their friends and family, this is an absolute dream job. From a therapist's point of view, we have a huge privilege to share space and hold onto some of the highest highs and lowest lows of our clients every day that we work.
One hour of the day might be helping someone grieve a relationship, while the next hour is playing card games with a kiddo while talking about their favorite animals. Next, we could be supporting a couple deciding on whether to try for a child, and then meet with an individual who just needs a space to breathe in silence. Compared to all the other jobs in the world, it is very strange! We have to be able to anticipate the unexpected because we never truly know what will happen with someone over the next hour.
I love this job. I love being able to see people how they want to be seen and celebrate them for every win that they share. I love how this job makes me think in ways I never have before. I love that I get to be fully me while I watch people learn how to be fully themselves. Starting this career felt like a puzzle piece sliding into place after a hole had been in my life for so long. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people, and I know that I’ll be doing this for a long while.
Warmly,
Kasey Mandelbaum
