They Why behind my “What I do?”
I grew up in a very loving and large family. You had to navigate and negotiate many days to get what you wanted. Being a middle child I perfected the art form of communication, well at least being able to out talk most of them. I grew up with a variety of family styles around. We had blended families, step-families, “street adopted” cousins, aunts, uncles, and some legally adopted ones too. We had homes with cousins you only saw once a year during the summer but somehow all the kids were shipped there---y’all know that one southern auntie. I had generations living in my home from my great-grandmother, grandmother, great-aunts, mom, aunt and cousins all in one home for a time. Family isn’t something I was born into it was something birthed into me.
When families struggle the community struggles. God never meant for people to not get along. His original plan is still the same man-wife-kids...3-in-1 on earth as they are in heaven. When issues of conflict without tools on how to resolve, parenting difference, and lack of finances start to pile up along with growing apart and not remembering your reason for saying “Yes”, it’s time to bring in a third party to help work with you to get to a better place individually then collectively as a family. We spend a lot of money on tuning up cars, furnaces, air conditioners but never tune up are communication skills, our most valued connections with our kids and extended family and then wonder why we struggle. Strong families...strong communities.
Family Therapy chose me literally. I was newly graduated and wondering what I was gong to do and while sitting at my desk at my Alma mater as a student worker in transition another college called me and told me about the field and their program. Within 2 months I was enrolled and have never looked back or regretted my decision. So, why do I let individuals, couples, the married, and families cry yell scream and argue? Fixing something broken was never meant to be quiet or easy. There is no anesthesia for broken promises, hurt words spoken, infidelity, and financial pressures. But there are trained compassionate people like me who know that if you do the work the Potter can put you back together better again.