Embracing a Life of Helping Others: Sheri

My Journey to becoming a Registered Psychologist

~Sheri Thibeau

The Attraction to Psychology

My earliest memory of knowing I wanted to be in a helping profession was as a young teen in 1995. I had just finished reading a story of love and loss, in which the main character had created a center for women struggling with losing their loved ones. I was inspired. After experiencing the death of my father a couple of years earlier, my world had been turned upside down. Simply enough, this book gave me hope - pain could be turned into something else!! I knew then that I wanted to be able to help people recover and restore their lives after painful events.

Commitment to Continuous Learning

I am very passionate about continuous learning, as evidenced on my bio page. I have obtained a PhD in Psychology, and am usually working through a few professional development courses at a time. I feel this is very important to be able to effectively hold space for clients and help them make positive change. I also believe it is important to experientially work with the content and models we learn theoretically (aka walk the talk); I am very committed to my own journey towards health and wellness. I have found a good balance between cognitive models and experiential models of working with people to help manage that “brain on a stick”  (thinking and not feeling) tendency we can fall into.

My Ideal Client

My idea of an ideal client has shifted and changed with my own growth in the field. Currently, I absolutely love working with couples to understand their negative patterns and achieve the relationship they want. I also love working with individuals redefining themselves, figuring out their nervous system and how to support themselves, and those working with their boundaries. My ideal client is determined, and looking for accountability and change, even when it's hard and painful. I actively challenge my clients to help them gently address patterns and behaviours that don’t serve them, and help them find effective ways to deal with their pain.

A Career of Diverse Experiences

Over the course of my journey, I have had several roles - working at a bank, in early childhood development, teaching, in research, and as a Psychologist. Recently, I have launched into Group Practice to offer more therapist services at It Takes Practice. This learning curve has been steep and challenging - my kind of adventure! My heart and passion is in the field of Psychology. Holding space for clients to be heard, understood, and supported is my calling.

Life Beyond Therapy

When I am not working or in training, I am with my sacred people and my animals. We love spending time in the mountains, or on the water. I love watersports; swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding. I recently learned to ski, and really enjoy snowshoeing. I would like to try cross-country skiing again, and this summer I will be teaching my young lab to paddleboard with me. I like to travel, read, paint, listen to music, podcasts, and write. Family and friends are very important to me, and I carve out time to lean into these life-sustaining relationships.

Conclusion

My favourite quote is “sometimes in the winds of change, you find your true direction” (Author Unknown). This has been my life - change is hard and painful. Within the pain, you can find your strengths, align with your truest self, and live out what your purpose is.

As I continue my journey, I am honoured by the opportunities to hold space and witness incredible change and transformation. I am in awe of the human spirit, and the resilience I see every day at work. I am grateful to be able to work in the area I am so passionate about, and look forward to getting to know you and your story.