I chose to become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor later in life. I had spent 20 years in Corporate America and Human Resource Consulting when I noticed a gap in therapy services. When family members were needing help we found it difficult to find a good fit. And moving from one provider to the next was complicated. So I left my work and went back to school with the intention of being a different type of counselor; one that focused on educating clients on strategies to use in their daily lives, delivered empirical-based approaches to therapy, created a space to breathe and maybe for a moment a chance to feel joy. I think about my time with clients as an opportunity to sort out one’s strengths and challenges. Then given my life and work experiences I work with a client to add resources and tools into their thinking to promote changes in how they feel and how they respond to situations. I value questions and feedback along the way and truly find joy in the “a-ha” moments of a client. For me therapy isn’t a job or a task to complete, it’s a way of living an intentional life knowing our strengths and how to manage to those when we are in need.