Thanks to Ryan Howes for linking here and these posts on his 7 questions.
6. What is the most enjoyable or rewarding part of being a therapist?
I have long said that one of the reasons I like being a therapist is that I love hearing stories about peoples' lives. So many different ays of living and wrestling with the issues life presents! I never tire of it. I feel privileged to be allowed to sit with people, with my patients, as they explore themselves and their lives. This is a very intimate thing and I am honored to be allowed in.
I also enjoy being in private practice and making my living depending on my wits. No everyone can do this.
It's exciting to be with someone whose view of herself and her life changes, however slowly, to see the world open up in a new way.
I like laughing with my patients. Listening. The AHA! moments. The feeling that comes with finding words that make a difference to someone.
And yes, I like that doing this work keeps me in touch with my own issues, which Carotenuto says is the reason we do this work, because it keeps us immersed in our own material as we grapple with that of our patients. If you haven't read his book, The Difficult Art: A Critical Discourse on Psychotherapy, you should, if you're a therapist.