Witness-Katy Perry

In honor of the New Moon in Scorpio during Scorpio season I want to pay homage to a triple Scorpio queen. Katy Perry has her Sun, Moon, Rising, Mercury, Saturn and Pluto all in Scorpio. Let’s just say she’s an incredibly dynamic Scorpionic soul. As I study Astrology and deepen my knowledge I like to listen to specific artists during their solar return season. Since it is Scorpio season I’ve been visiting Katy Perry, Lorde and SZA just to name a few female artists with their sun in Scorpio.

While listening to Katy’s album “Witness” I was inspired by this title track. I feel like the song embodies what a client may be looking for when they enter into counseling. Let me break down some lyrics for you to make my point.

If I lost it all today, would you stay?
Could my love be enough to stimulate?
If shit hit the fan, grenades got thrown
Would you still show, oh?
Could you go down with me to the mat?
Could we get back up and eventually laugh?
Roll eyes at highs, cheers in the lows, and stay in the flow, oh

This is the first verse of the song and I feel like it represents how a client may feel in intimate relationships that causes them to enter therapy, as well as what they may be looking for from a counseling relationship. If “shit hit the fan” in your relationship and your partner just dipped you may be at a loss, heartbroken and looking for support.

This is also a challenging dynamic in building a trusting therapeutic relationship. Sometimes clients will wonder and worry if their therapist will still be there, if they can be a reliable and dependent relationship that will “show up” even after self-disclosure. You may wonder “if I reveal myself, will if be too much? If they really knew me they wouldn’t like me. My therapist will judge me if I’m completely honest.” Trust me, we are there through thick and thin. This is our job, to support you and accept you exactly as you are and where you are in this phase of life. Therapists sometimes feel this way too. If a client has revealed something deep they are less likely to return the next session. We are also wondering if you can go down to the depths with us and still come back next week “and eventually laugh.”

We're all just looking for connection
Yeah, we all want to be seen
I'm looking for someone who speaks my language
Someone to ride this ride with me
Can I get a witness? (Witness)
Will you be my witness? (Witness)
I'm just looking for a witness in all of this
Looking for a witness to get me through this

This chorus is so poignant. I don’t think I need to break this down at all, just read it. Who is not feeling this way today? Who isn’t looking for connection and to be seen for who you truly are? We are all trying to connect again and have someone to be there with us through the ups and downs. A therapist is so perfectly a witness to your life. We see you, we’ll help you through this, and we’re along for the ride. If you find the right match hopefully you will find “someone who speaks my language,” and it will feel like a natural fit.

A therapist is not a friend, we are a witness. We see the events of your life and we provide evidence, sound proof of your humanity. An unbiased objector to put you on course when the negative self-talk is too big and you’ve run away with some crazy story of how you don’t deserve to be loved. We’ll give you the grounded evidence to counter your fears and negativity. We’ll give you those “cheers in the lows” no doubt, even when no once else can and you can’t see a shred of light in the tunnel.

Well there you have my breakdown of Katy Perry. Go ahead and give it a listen. Find a few more Scorpio artists and observe them during this next month. What do you relate to, being that you’re experiencing these energies at this time as well? Where does their natural Scorpio appear?

Introduction Letter

Dear YOU, 

I am writing to the one searching for help. The one struggling with understanding what is the point in life. Going through the motions day in and day out but wondering when their life will begin. “When will I truly be happy, when will I feel fulfilled? How do I find my purpose in life?” You, the person trying so hard to please everyone around you but feeling like you’re always coming up short. No matter how hard you try you can never convince the harshest critic inside that you are enough. 

Maybe it’s depression. Maybe you’ve been feeling this way as long as you can remember, or you really struggle to remember when you felt happy last. If you’re reading this, you’re considering if counseling could be helpful to you? “Maybe I need someone to talk to, someone who understands what I’m going through. I need someone to hear me and tell me I’m not crazy. I don’t want to be in this alone anymore.” It’s okay to ask for help and it’s okay to feel like you aren’t alright. It is normal to contemplate life and death. “Maybe I”d be better off dead. Everyone would be happier if I was gone. No one will notice. I’m such a burden to everyone around me.” These are thoughts I hear from people every single day. Suicide can be seen as a way out of the darkness. A way to escape the pain that you don’t know how to address. Pain you’re barely aware of and aren’t sure how to put into words. “How do I even ask for help?”

Therapy is a way into the light. Together in a therapeutic relationship we can unmask your demons, identify your feelings, and learn to express what’s really going on inside.

My name is Marisa and I am passionate about helping others walk back from the ledge and into the light again. Through unconditional positive regard and genuine care I will sit with you and walk through the darkness until we find out way back to the light. I love talking about life and death and suicide. I find joy in the pain, and embrace the beauty of the deep raw emotions humans are able to feel. It is a gift this depth of feeling that you have. The fact that you are able to experience life to such an intense degree is a super power. I will help you recognize your emotions, challenge your negative thought patterns, and embrace the natural gifts you were given in this lifetime by your ability to feel. Together we can figure out what gives you meaning, purpose, and joy in life and come up with a plan to set you up for success. 

I will admit I am a bit of a biohacker and I love to optimize life. I want to help you hack your own life and thought patterns to be the most successful person you can be. And I measure success in happiness, not in accomplishments. We need to strive to be content! How can I help you learn to enjoy the little moments in life and appreciate every small token of happiness you are given? I don’t share these things from some pedestal way up high, thinking I have mastered life. I am a human too. I understand what you’re going through because I have been there. I know what it is like to go and go and go, never stopping to smell the roses only to reach your destination and think “now what?” I have been on a long slow journey in self-care and self-love, and it is a journey I am passionate about sharing with others. As I am learning to slow down and experience more of life I want to help you also begin to live a more authentic, present lifestyle that gives you back just as much as you put into it. 

So to sum it up, YOU are:

-wanting help

-looking for meaning and purpose in life

-possibly depressed

-having thoughts of suicide

-working hard yet unsatisfied with your life

And I am:

-crazy about feelings

-motivated to help you

-authentic and honest

-also a human

-a trained helping professional

And if that wasn’t enough, I am a Licensed Mental Health Therapist in the state of Washington. I have a private practice located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. I got my Master’s degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon in Professional Mental Health Counseling. Through that program I was fully trained in counseling skills and educated on current treatment modalities and theories including, attachment, emotion focused therapy, family systems, solution focused and cognitive behavioral therapies. In my previous work I deepened my skills using CBT, that I now use in my work along with a focus on feelings, emotions, and strength based counseling. Throughout the years post-grad I have continued to take continuing education and develop my knowledge through workshops and seminars, including many intuitive and spiritual based practices. 

It is my hope that we can work together to help you find meaning and enjoy living again. Please reach out if you would like to know more or get started on this journey together. 

Sincerely, Marisa