When people ask me why I decided to train as a therapist, it feels hard to give just one answer. My decision grew out of both my personal experiences and a deep belief in people’s capacity to grow.

I have lived through difficult experiences myself and alongside people I love. At first, I wanted to learn how to help — to know what to say or do when life gets really hard. But as I began training, I discovered something different. Therapy isn’t about stepping in to solve someone’s problems. It’s about offering a space where someone can be fully themselves, accepted just as they are, and free to find their own way forward. That kind of space is rare in everyday life.

I was drawn to the person-centred approach because of my belief in what Carl Rogers called the “actualising tendency” — the natural drive we all have to grow and thrive. I think I’ve held this belief since childhood. I’ve always trusted in the power of love and acceptance, even for the most marginalised people in society. Now, as a therapist, this belief translates into trusting the potential of my clients. And perhaps it’s no coincidence, but I’ve found that my clients are some of the most resourceful, inspiring people I’ve ever met.

I’ve also always been fascinated by psychology and by “how people tick.” When I first started, I thought therapy might be about finding clever ways to “hack” the brain or discovering quick fixes to painful feelings. But my training has shown me otherwise. Quick fixes might offer temporary relief, but they don’t last — and they can even create a dependency on the therapist. Real change comes from something much deeper: understanding yourself more fully, developing the capacity to hold life’s difficulties, and becoming more flexible and resilient in how you relate to yourself and the world.

That is what therapy is about for me. It’s not magic, and it’s not about me having the answers. It’s about walking alongside people as they discover their own answers — often ones they didn’t know they already had.