Therapy is a Safe Space - by Sara Beckham, MDiv, MACLP, LPC-Associate

Have you ever felt like you had to hide your whole self or even a part of yourself? Maybe you don’t feel like you can talk politics with your in-laws. Maybe money is a sore subject for you and your spouse. Maybe you’ve never felt like you could tell your parents that you aren’t straight. In order to feel as if we are in safe spaces, we might compartmentalize parts about us, hide other parts, or avoid certain subjects or topics. It doesn’t help that we live in an era inundated with fear. Fear-filled and fear-producing headlines scream at us from various sources of media. Bills proposing incentive to turn women in that have abortions. Bills threatening action against adults that support gender-affirming care for minors. Bills targeting trans adults. It might feel that we don’t exactly have the safest city, state, nation, or world to live in and we might further want to retreat into a shell of safe space. Luckily, the therapy space is that safe space. It is a space in which you don’t have to compartmentalize, hide yourself, or avoid any topic. It is a space in which you can be fully, wholly, truly YOU.

When a counselor becomes licensed, we take on the ethical and legal duty to maintain confidentiality. I like to call this the “Vegas Rule” because what is said in the session stays in the session! This helps to ensure you have the ability to speak freely in sessions. However, there are some limits to confidentiality:

(1)  Suspicion of abuse of children, elderly, or persons with disability..

(2)  Threat of harm to self or others.

(3)  Sexual exploitation of a client by a previous therapist.

(4)  Court subpoena.

If you’re like me, you might want to ensure you are in a safe space or have a safe person to talk with before opening up. When I was searching for a therapist for myself, I had specific questions that I asked to ensure that I would feel safe while talking to him. It took time, energy, and trust to book that first appointment.

Finding the right therapist can take time, but it’s worth the effort to feel seen, heard, and safe. Ask the questions that matter to you—whether about values, experience, or approach—because your comfort matters. Therapy should be a space where your whole self is welcome, not just the parts the world says are acceptable.

If you’ve been carrying the weight of hiding, filtering, or silencing your story, consider this your invitation to lay it down. You deserve a space where you can show up fully and be met with compassion, not judgment. And that space is possible. You’re not alone—and you don’t have to navigate this alone either. Therapy is here for you when you’re ready and I hope you’ll trust us and give us a call when we say WE are here for YOU.