In my first role as an employee of a private practice, we started out as fully online while the owners sought out the perfect office space. I sat in my spare bedroom turned virtual therapy room for months, and imaged what my real office would look like, how I would decorate it, and what it would feel like to be in the space. A few months later, I walked into what was to be my office and was stopped in my tracks by the big and bold piece of furniture, pictured above.

Well, I absolutely hated it. I thought it looked heavy and formal and just nothing that I wanted as a defining feature of my therapy room. But, I was not in a position to negotiate a more perfect couch, so I did my best to accept the monstrosity. Not long after, I began warming up to it- my clients often complimented the pattern, it was exceedingly comfortable, and never creaked or felt anything other than sturdy. I grew to love this thing that I originally thought was the WORST.

And the message this couch metaphor represents, of practicing acceptance of even the most unwieldy or unlovable aspects of ourselves, our friends and family, or our history, is the soul of my therapy practice. Thus, I decided my future practice that I hoped to someday own would be called Striped Couch, to honor this sentiment and pay homage to my beginnings. I wasn’t able to take it with me, but I trust that it is bringing comfort to other deserving butts.