DEAR ASSOCIATES AND SOON-TO-BE THERAPISTS

This week has been a tough one for me as an associate therapist. In several professional spaces, I've seen conversations that minimize, dismiss, or even suggest excluding associates and pre-licensed therapists from valuable groups and communities. To be honest, it's disheartening and discouraging to witness.

If you've ever felt the sting of being undervalued in this profession before you've even had the chance to fully begin, please know you're not alone. We have already poured years into this path; long nights of studying, hours of practicum and internship, countless sessions of showing up for clients while often balancing financial strain, unpaid work, and the steep learning curve of becoming a therapist. Our presence here is not an accident or a privilege to be earned, it is a right we have worked tirelessly for. Not matter how you arrived here, you have more than earned the right to be here.

We don't need to prove our worth. We don't need to justify our place in this field. What needs to change is not us, but the systems that uphold gatekeeping, inequity, and unrealistic expectations of what it means to "arrive" as a therapist. This profession is strongest when we stand with each other, when we share resources, wisdom, and encouragement across all stages of this journey. The table is big enough for all of us.

In fact, it becomes so incredibly rich and beautiful when more voices, experiences, and perspectives are included. The world is already a dark and scary place, with many are already struggling, we need community more than ever.

So if you are reading this as an associate, a trainee, a pre-licensed therapist, or even as someone remembering what it felt like to be in those shoes: may this serve as a reminder that you belong here.

You deserve rest, support, and respect. And together, we can work not just to find our place at the table, but to reshape the environment so no one else is ever told they don't have a seat or they haven't earned that seat.

You've more than earned this space. You deserve to be here, and in case someone has yet to tell you, I'm happy you're here.

In solidarity,

Julia