Leaving

Dear Clients,

I am leaving you, it is sad for me and I truly hope that in doing so I do not harm any one.  I was  offered a position that aligns better with my current needs, namely flexibility.  See I have a new baby and I know that at some point he is going to need me to stay home with him and I want to be able to to that without jeopardizing your treatment and care. I also really want to return to school so that I can begin working on my dream of becoming a professor.  It is for these very good reasons that I have made the decision to leave you.

It was a hard decision. It was difficult because you have taught me so much about my self, and about people/life in general; and that is something I cannot repay.  I hope that I have been helpful, I hope that the seeds planted in the past two and half years will grow in your life and give you some peace, or happiness, or whatever it was that you came in search of.  It is my ever present hope that the stigma and marginalization of people with mental illness will continue to diminish.  You are strong, you are brave, you are creative, you are more than you think you are.

Thank you for showing me both what fear and courage look like. Thank you helping me learn how to better communicate in my relationships. Thank you for offering me accountability in my own life. Thank you for demonstrating resilience, resourcefulness, and (at times) responsibility.  Thank you for making me "practice what I preach." Thank you. I am a better person for my time with you, I am a far better therapist and social worker. I will take the lessons you have given me and I will pass them along.

Sincerely,
Jessica

Looking for a way to talk to others about your mental health, this video might help you find the right words.  Looking for a way to advocate or get involved in communities to stop the stigma of mental illness, please visit http://www.nami.org/ and find a place or a way to get involved.