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I recently returned from spending a week with my family of origin in Texas. 

Let’s just say, it wasn’t my favorite family visit. 

There were a few highlights (all of which involved spending time with my niblings) but overall, it was a disappointing reminder that one of these things is not like the other. That thing being me, obviously.

Can you relate? 

I sincerely hope you cannot relate, but there’s a good chance that you do. Many therapists feel like the strange and unusual “black sheep” in their family. 

We grow up feeling afraid to do so many things… 

→ afraid to be too silly or weird
→ afraid to achieve too much or to shine too brightly
→ afraid to say what we really feel and believe 

The consequences for standing out from the pack are terrifying. If you’re too silly, you’ll be mocked. If you’re too shiny, you’ll be criticized. And if you say what you really believe? Oof. You could be rejected from the pack entirely! 

My family does not see who I truly am. They are not curious about my desires. They do not care about my values. I often feel that “Maegan” exists as a caricature in their minds, an idealized version of me they can love and embrace without stretching too far out of their comfort zone. 

As children, we become masters at stuffing our true feelings deep down inside so as not to upset anyone with our deviant views or outlandish personalities. And when childhood is over, we go to graduate school to become therapists!

It’s an obvious career choice. We’ve been training our whole lives to stay silent while caring for other people’s emotional struggles. We tell ourselves it’s a vocational calling. We’ve been preparing for this role since before we could speak! Tiny little emotional sponges turned into professional listeners. 

And now we sit around wondering why we’re so burned out.

First, we blame the obvious culprits—being overwhelmed, overworked, and under-paid. These are legitimate problems, and they need to be addressed. But really, the root cause of our burnout goes way deeper—a lifetime spent suppressing who we truly are so that we can meet the needs of everyone else. 

To be clear, I loved my work as a therapist. I loved my clients. The work we did together was inspiring and magical. I witnessed moments of profound healing that I will forever hold close to my heart. I’m not throwing the therapist baby out with the bathwater! 

But I do think it’s time for therapists to start having a more honest conversation about how this work is holding us back from being fully self-expressed in our lives and businesses. 

If you’re tired of feeling like a shell of yourself, I see you… and I wonder if maybe it’s time to unlock the door that’s keeping your wildest, smartest, quirkiest self trapped inside of you. 

Maybe it’s time to let yourself step into the sunlight to take a big gulp of crisp, fresh air. Maybe it’s time to step out of the therapist facade and into the most fully expressed version of yourself. 

Realistically, I know transformation doesn’t happen overnight. I’ve been working on this for years, and I feel like I’m still at the beginning of the process. 

What I do know is how to help you get started… and starting is half the battle, right? 

Last year, I hosted an experimental community writing studio called Express Yourself. We gathered together every week with the sole purpose of expressing something in writing. We witnessed each other stepping into the sunlight, pulling truths out of our bodies and placing them lovingly on the page. It was magical, and now feels like the perfect time to revive this offering. 

I’m finalizing the details this week, but if you know you want to be part of this community, click here to add yourself to the Express Yourself email list.

It is completely free. We’ll meet once per week for one hour. During our time together, you will do three things: 

1. Show Up—the hardest part!
2. Express Yourself—you’ll write something, doesn’t matter what. 
3. Reflect—pause, notice what’s happening inside of you, celebrate. 

My hope is to create a container where you can show up and practice expressing yourself. That is how you begin to heal from a lifetime of hiding. You practice slowly and gently stepping into the sunlight by expressing yourself—in a safe space, with safe people—one word at a time. 

I’ll encourage you to experiment with different types of writing. You can journal, you can work on a blog post, you can start writing your book. Doesn’t matter what you create, so long as you’re creating. 

Click here if you know you want to be part of this weekly community. I’ll follow-up with you as soon as I have the details finalized. 

I can’t wait to see YOU. I have a feeling you’re going to create something spectacular this year.