What your mama and bff can’t really give you…

“Heart Witness & Spirit Keeper” – It’s one of the most beautiful things anyone’s ever called me and what I do for a living.

Our culture is one that often prides itself on independence, keeping up appearances that we have it together at all times (ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE IN THE HEALING ARTS OR OTHER HIGH END BUSINESSES YOURSELF), and not spending money on “therapy” or “coaching” when you could talk to a friend or exercise for free.

It’s fucking bullshit and it is killing people left and right. Maybe not always physically but spiritually, emotionally, mentally, romantically, sexually, and more.

I will ALWAYS keep a coach. And you know what else? When you think you can’t afford it is probably the BEST time to find you something…even if it is just an hour with a professional.

Why?? Because you will be infinitely more productive and successful when you allow someone else to hold space for you…to help take the edge off…to help heal wounds and re-empower you, possibly to new heights you hadn’t even thought possible.

There have been times in my life when that $1k/month I paid to a coach was the only thing that allowed me to be able to show up and make the money I needed to so I could put food on the table and a roof over our heads. Without her, I would’ve stayed in bed and cried and said fuck the world; they don’t need me today.

Coaching and counseling is NOT a luxury.

It is NOT selfish.

It is SELF CARE.

Just like good nutrition or exercise or sex.

Listen, life is messy. You don’t have to go it alone though. And you can move through things so much faster when you have a professional helping. 

What Your Mama and BFF Can’t Do

Our loved ones mean well, they really do! But they are about as biased as biased can be (and thank God, because there IS a place for that! like when you need someone to show up with vodka and Golden Girls or maybe just duct tape…j/k).

You don’t have to feel weird spilling your guts to a counselor or coach though. He or she is paid to be objective AND productive for you! The best ones have years of knowledge and expertise in treating what you’re struggling with.

And if you choose to forgive that partner who hurt you, they won’t judge you or hold a grudge against your boo. Can you really say that about mom or the BFF??

One More Secret 

Just like hairstylists and yoga instructors, FIT IS EVERYTHING and it’s okay to outgrow people too. I’ve learned what I have needed to from some coaches and moved on. Others, I tend to keep forever in some capacity or another. The important thing is to listen to what your soul is calling you to.

Could you use a heart witness and spirit keeper?

I personally set out on the path of counseling psychology nearly a decade ago now, knowing that what bring ME purpose and passion in life is holding sacred space for others to find theirs, and to heal past traumas along the way.

I found very quickly however, that counseling alone was never going to be enough for me. And that the current mental health system was way too broken to provide the level of healing my clients needed.

Disillusioned, I sought out Spirit.

She answered in beautiful messages laid out for me like bread crumbs on a trail towards transcendence.

~ She reminded me of my spiritual gifts and provided clues for how to bring them into the traditional therapeutic modalities I was already using.

~ She brought mentors into my life who were also bad ass authentic soul’preneurs willing to break through barriers, stigmas, and bureaucratic bullshit.

~ And she also allowed what felt like painful experiences at the time to provide the death to illusion and egoic traps I was susceptible too if I continued on in traditional counseling alone.

I now work as both a licensed mental health counselor and empowerment coach and teacher and I wouldn’t have it any other way. If you’re a perfectionistic misfit or mystic craving transcendence and label free living, I would love to be your spirit keeper.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tamara Powell, LMHC is a licensed therapist, university psychology instructor, and empowerment coach who believes life should be lived as a journey that is “anything but ordinary.”

Her private practice is specialized to help individuals break free from toxic cycles of distress, dysfunction, and dissatisfaction with life that are created when trying to live according to someone else’s rules. Only by living what she calls radical autonomy, can one obtain soul nourishing relationships and a sense of true life purpose and inner peace.

If you’re interested in working with her, either in person or online, you can learn more about her services here.