You Don't Have To Walk Alone: My Interview With A Psychotherapist

Kind, gentle, compassionate, wise, deep, fun, good listener, a rich reader, world traveler, curious, thoughtful, loyal, prayer warrior. These are a few descriptors that came to mind when I think of today's guest on my blog. I met my dear friend Elizabeth in the country of Panama on a 6 week mission trip with Power to Change (formerly Campus for Christ) back in May 2007. We have been good friends for 17 years now and she's someone that I love to talk through things with because of her wisdom and compassion. I am fascinated with human beings and the way they think, which is why I am drawn to psychotherapy and psychotherapists. Whenever I visit Elizabeth in her city I always inevitably ask her about her profession. I can tell she's amazing at her job! Please welcome and enjoy my interview with my dear friend Elizabeth.

Photo by Michael Niessl on Unsplash

Elizabeth: Before diving into your questions, Raquel, I just want to take a moment to say hello to your wonderful readers. I am excited to share with you all about counselling and all it has to offer. 

Perhaps I can just offer a couple of clarifications before we begin.

First, the words counselling, therapy, and psychotherapy generally refer to the same thing. However, psychotherapy is a regulated profession in the province of Ontario, just as doctors, psychologists, and social workers are regulated. If someone calls themselves a counsellor, however, they may not have the same training background. It is always ok and wise to ask about the educational background of your mental health provider and the type of therapy they provide.  

 Second, I often am asked the difference between a psychiatrist, psychologist, and psychotherapist. All three can provide mental health support. However, the focus of each professional is different. 

• Psychiatrists are medical doctors who then undergo specialized training to diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medications.

• Psychologists receive specialized training in order to be able to diagnose mental health conditions but they are not medical doctors so they cannot prescribe medications.

• Psychotherapists are specialized in providing psychotherapy otherwise known as counselling. In Ontario, psychotherapists neither diagnose nor prescribe medications. I have often referred clients to psychiatrists or psychologists and in turn these professionals have referred clients to me who need ongoing therapy. We often work together within our specializations to make sure clients receive the care they need.  

When did you know that you wanted to be a psychotherapist? 

I have always had a compassionate care for those that are hurting. When I studied psychology at the University of Guelph I was not sure how I would use the knowledge and skills I was gaining to help people. I prayed and asked God to guide me. He led me to Isaiah 61 verses 1-3. He used the verse to show me that he was calling me to be part of people finding freedom and healing. It was then that I went to Tyndale Seminary to study to be a psychotherapist.  

The Spirit of the Sovereign  Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy  instead of mourning, and a garment of praise  instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord  for the display of his splendor.  

What are your strengths as a therapist? 

I am very interested in people, and I find it easy to connect with them and help them be at ease. I feel it is an honour to hear each person’s story. My heart is compassionate and I can usually sense the emotions of other people. This helps me to be able to connect. Another strength is that I am able to see the positive potential in each client’s situation and the strategic ways of getting to these goals and outcomes. I have a very large toolbox of techniques, strategies and ways of helping people. Part of my strengths is knowing which ones to select for each situation and how to apply it in a useful way. Lastly, I am very open to feedback from my clients and actively seek it out. I feel that therapy is a collaborative process and I appreciate people telling me what is working and not working for them.  

When listening to friends and/or family members share from their hearts, do you still have a therapist mindset, or do you remove that mindset? Can Elizabeth the friend and Elizabeth the therapist be separate or is that not even possible? Am I making sense?  

What a great question! Elizabeth, the friend or family member, is also Elizabeth, the therapist.  I am my authentic self in both situations however my role is different. When I am with friends I use the listening skills I have developed in becoming a therapist. I not only listen when I am with friends, but I also share about my life. We go out and do things together and have shared experiences. I may offer some advice to a friend but if they seem to need more specific support, I will encourage them to seek out a therapist. In fact, many of my friends go to therapy and have found it helpful. My role as a therapist includes elements of friendship such as being friendly, kind, coming along side others but it is a different kind of relationship. I am there for the other person as a professional and generally I am not going to share about my personal life unless it is particularly helpful in a specific situation. When I am in the role of therapist then the relationship is more clearly defined with boundaries and with specific goals that I have set with the client. Even though I am in the role of a therapist when meeting with clients, there is authentic care for each person and I approach sessions with an open heart and mind.  

Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash

What do you love most about your job? 

I love that I get to be part of people’s healing journeys. It is wonderful to rejoice when they reach their goals and I can see them going into the future with hope. I also enjoy finding the right techniques, tools, and methods that work for each person and seeing their progress. Finally, I love that my job allows me to continue to learn. I have learned many things from the clients. For example, I have seen how God works out situations in ways that we didn’t anticipate. I have also witnessed how clients show resilience or have wisdom to manage their situation.  

The following question pertains to the Christian faith and might be controversial. We’re both Christians and I have heard some Christians say that believers should only do Biblical counselling. What are your thoughts about that? 

Raquel I am so glad you asked this question. When I was in Seminary we talked extensively about approaches to therapy through a Christian lens. One book that we read and discussed was ‘Psychology and Christianity: 5 Views’ edited by Eric L. Johnson. In this book, 5 different Christian therapists talk about their approach to therapy across a spectrum of integration of Christianity with psychology. The second part of the book contains interactions between the views as each therapist points out benefits and problems of other views. Without going into the details of each view, which is beyond the scope of this interview, the book looks at how therapists either view counselling and Christian views on a spectrum ranging from: having faith and therapeutic method be one and the same (Biblical counselling perspective), integrated to varying degrees (three different perspectives are presented of ways that the therapist can integrate faith and counselling), or, at the other end, kept separate since they are different frameworks for viewing human nature (Levels of Explanation perspective). The essential message is that as a Christian therapist you can work with people from several different perspectives, but each can be effective. 

Some churches have chosen to endorse Biblical counselling as the best method, and I can understand why they might have chosen this view. I think that there can be fear about what a secular counsellor might advise and worry it might go against Biblical wisdom. However most secular counsellors are open to supporting a client within the client’s faith background. I would say that finding a Christian therapist (who may or may not be of the Biblical counselling perspective) can be helpful because they may understand more of the nuances that come with being a Christian. In my practice I see both Christian and non-Christian clients. I offer all my clients the choice to include the Bible and prayer into sessions if they wish. Since I have a Masters of Divinity I am comfortable with having faith as the basis for session but I also want to be able to help those who are not Christian and I honour their preferences as well. Most non-Christians are not interested in a Biblical counselling approach and I feel that there are many ways that I can help people even if they are not interested in having the Bible included into a session.  

You have dealt with heavy topics as a psychotherapist such as all kinds of abuse and trauma. How do you take care of yourself so that the problems of your clients don’t weigh you down or traumatize you?  

Yes, it is true that I have walked with many people going through difficult times including many who have experienced severe abuse and trauma. I truly have compassion for my clients and can easily sense their pain and struggle which helps me to be effective in my work. I am, however, very aware that their story is not my own and that while I can walk with them, I am not my client. I also am very clear on my role in the relationship inside of myself. I know that I am with them for a time and a purpose. The goal is to help them get through the difficulty they are facing, and I see myself as a companion and a guide on the journey. It is not helpful to be so in the difficulty with the person that you cannot see the way out as a guide. So there is an internal monitoring to make sure I am with them enough that I can understand the pain but also outside of the situation enough that I can offer help and support. Apart from academic learning, psychotherapists are also required to have supervision from more advanced psychotherapists who are trained in guiding new therapists in how to provide excellent client care. This supervision includes help with learning how to manage the emotional impact of providing therapy and not internalize client issues as your own. As a result, I am able to provide therapy in a healthy way and on the rare occasion when something triggers me then I know how to seek support and self-care. In fact, I also now have the joy of being able to provide supervision to other therapists as well and pass on the skills I have learned.  

What would you say to someone who expresses interest in becoming a psychotherapist?  

Take every opportunity to learn. Not only about therapy but about people, yourself, cultures, different professions, religions, art, science, music, etc. The more you learn, the better you will be able to relate to people and build rapport. Therapy is about building relationships with people that create a space for change.  Building rapport is a skill that is valuable not only for a therapist but also for people in general.  

What are some things that bring you joy in life? 

It is often the small moments that bring me joy: seeing my dog’s tail wag when I say the word “walk”, the sunlight filtering through tree branches, the sound of a friend laughing, the taste of fresh squeezed orange juice, singing worship in a congregation, discovering a new food or cuisine, smelling the scent of pine or cedar, the feel of moving a paintbrush in paint, spring flowers coming up through the snow, the feel of a new book, sharing an experience with a friend, seeing the joy of a child, funny animal videos, the sound of water dripping when canoeing, the excitement and challenge of a game, sitting around a campfire, and I could go on! 

Photo by Ainun Balada on Unsplash

Is there anything that you would like to mention about your private practice?  

I am thankful that I have been able to provide counselling support to many people in the past 12 years and I am excited to see how God will use my practice in the future to help people grow and find healing. I enjoy not only working with those who are going though difficult times but also people wanting to grow as a person, advance in their career, or take on a new challenge. 

I am currently accepting new clients. I also provide a free 20-minute phone consultation for anyone considering meeting with me for counselling. This way people can ask questions, get to hear my voice, and I can share with them about how to get started. In addition to counselling, I offer consultation (clinical supervision) for therapists. As well, I speak at events and provide training on many mental health related topics. If your readers want to be in touch, I have a website, www.elizabethboom.com, a toll-free number 1-844-JOY-2DAY (1-844-569-2329) and I can also be reached via email elizabethboom@protonmail.com. 

Thank you Raquel for hosting me on your blog and asking such great questions about counselling. I enjoyed speaking with you and connecting with you as always. 

Thank you Elizabeth for the gift it was to interview you. I'm grateful for your caring heart for people and how God has used you to help many throughout the years. If you dear reader are interested in receiving psychotherapy or know someone who could benefit from it, I would encourage you to visit my friend Elizabeth's website, request a free 20 minute consultation and consider whether she would be a good fit.

With love,

Raquel