Why the “we are real, so you can be too?” our Laura Gatien & Associates Mantra

Have you ever wondered why we at Laura Gatien & Associates have a slogan known as “We are real so you can be too?” We have it on our email signatures and on the walls within the clinic. It’s how we show up as therapists. Allow me to explain where this came from….

When I first opened my private practice in 2018, as a one woman show on Waterloo St., I learned quickly that showing up to my sessions with clients as my true, sometimes messy self led to the best connection with them. They told me I was relatable and that it felt easier to trust me because “I was real” and it reduced the power imbalance that traditionally existed between therapists and their clients.

As someone who is so passionate about ending the stigma that accompanies mental health, this approach seemed like a very easy way to practice what I was preaching. We are all human and we all struggle, and if clients could see the humanness in me, their therapist, they felt less shame about it themselves.

Therapist’s openness helps normalize the human experience of facing difficulties and led to a much more collaborative approach to therapy.

I also noticed that my transparency allowed my clients to explore their own feelings, insecurities and challenges deeper than ever before. If you are talking to someone who seems to have it all together, who you don’t feel has any of their own issues, poor decisions or insecurities, it's much harder to experience and work through your own.

Being “real” as a therapist has to be done with care, as it must maintain focus on the client. Showing up with genuineness and authenticity does not mean oversharing, it's a delicate balance of self disclosure that reinforces trust and support. Clients tell us that when this is done well, they feel much less alone and better understood.

Our decision to embrace being “real” as therapists is a huge factor in meaningful and lasting change and it's a testament to the transformative potential that a genuine and vulnerable approach has on those we work with. It’s the LGA way.

Reach out to us if you would like to see one of our Clinical Therapists who embodies the LGA way. Let's ,BE REAL TOGETHER

~ Laura, Clinical Therapist Call (506) 651-1239 or BOOK ONLINE