4 years… First business cards, first therapist’s office…
What a long way since that day … along this road, we don’t travel alone. We are enriched by our encounters, our fellow travelers, whether they share our path for more than 25 years or just a few minutes…
I realize tonight that the list of these companions is long and I have a lot of gratitude for the people who trusted me, for those who trained me, encouraged me, for those who believed in me, sometimes (often ?) more than myself 😉 Some really gave me the courage to get started, even if I was terrified, convinced of not being good enough…
One day, my path crossed, almost by accident, the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT. It was in July 2018, at the ACBS World Congress in Montreal. I walked past the congress hotel yesterday and I was really moved.
Each of the encounters I have had there remains like a little light in my heart, which guides me at every step, enlightens me on days of doubt, warms me on long winter evenings and above all has led me to other beautiful encounters and a new philosophy of life 🙏
Do your best every day to live in accordance with your values, “going towards” rather than fleeing, in action rather than reaction.
Add to that a touch of compassion, of kindness, of Growth Mindset and you have the recipe for a more aligned, richer and above all more meaningful life.
It’s not easy every day, our emotions, our thoughts often get to take control of our bus, but we learn to realize it faster and then we practice to get behind the wheel while letting all these little people get on board, sing loudly, yell at us that we are going in the wrong direction, argue, sulk but it’s ok, the bus follows its route and tries to improve itself through obstacles, mistakes but also meaningful readings, videos and encounters.
Among these encounters, there are some which become cornerstones of our foundations, of our construction.
Of course I thank each of you, friends, colleagues, teachers, patients, clients, speakers, I will not name you all and I hope you recognize yourself. There are, however, a few people I would like to say thank you to :
First of all, my husband and my children, for their love and unconditional support … and Seb who helped me find this first office to get started … and offered a great friendship …
… Then, chronologically:
The very first person to encourage me to become a therapist is Robert Strauss, one of the best therapists I’ve had the chance to meet in my life, the embodiment of care, with the touch of challenge needed to move us forward. I dedicated to him the installation of my first professional plaque, on a wall in Mouvaux … You know, Rob, how much gratitude and admiration I have for you.
Then Jana Grant, Frédérick Dionne, Jean-Christophe Seznec: you were the first to present ACT to me and to make me discover that we could be a therapist differently… with authenticity, humor and generosity.
Deborah d’Hostingue for your warm welcome and our discussions on ACT of course, but also on the joys of Quebec life 😉
Steven Hayes, Robyn Walser, Kelly G Wilson for your amazing Houston Boot Camp. Your humility, authenticity, pedagogy, generosity, humor, allowed me to accept what my heart had to say to me, to align myself with the therapist and especially the person I wanted to be. Thank you for teaching me that you can do things seriously without taking yourself seriously.
A special mention to Kelly for your inspiring posts and especially for your last poem which gives me faith in each human, reminding me that we never know the whole story of a person and that we can at any moment be the hand that reaches towards the one suffering … or to be the one to whom it is offered …
Janina Scarlet for your touching and inspiring Superhero Therapy, it opened a new door for me to help many people.
Louise Hayes: a truly enriching workshop in London, your generosity and above all your passion for helping teenagers are contagious… not to mention your connection with Nepal which makes us want to move mountains to make this world a better place.
Isabelle Leboeuf : you know all that our exchanges bring me, the friendship I have for you and the role you played in my discovery of CFT … not to mention your fascinating workshops which allow us to develop self-care compassion we need so much in our time.
Dominique Séguier for allowing me to contribute to an important chapter in my life and to gain confidence in my abilities,
Philippe Cortèse for your listening, your kindness, your wise advice, your challenges and for allowing me to assume the person I am.
Dennis Tirch and Laura Silberstein-Tirch: When a couple embodies their values, it’s beautiful to see and Cassidy is the best proof of it. Thank you for these shared moments, your teachings regarding Compassion Focused Therapy. Thank you Dennis for the inspiring closing speech at ACBS 2020 …
Chris Fraser: I will never forget your workshop in Dublin, in the presence of your parents. It was so genuine, authentic, inspiring, touching … It allowed me to help so many teenagers, starting with my sons … and each of your messages carries the compassion and love that you flood the world with.
Chris Winson: each of your posts grows my heart, brightens my days, echoes my feelings, you highlight the inspiring words of our beautiful community and you share compassion to the world …
Many other people have contributed to who I am today, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 🙏
#ACBS #AFSCC #CFT