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Every single TA staff member belongs to the go-to-therapy club and we are proud of it. Somewhere along the way, we stopped whispering about therapy and started talking about it the way we talk about workouts or podcasts. It comes up in team meetings, Slack, and in casual check-ins. “My therapist said…” has become a completely normal sentence around here.
We have normalized growth in our day-to-day interactions. And honestly, it has made us better. Better coworkers. Better leaders. Better humans.
So we thought we would share some of the therapy aha moments that shifted us. The sentences that reframed something. The tools we now use without even thinking about it.
Because sometimes one line is all it takes to see yourself differently.
Thania’s aha: “Be unafraid to be seen. It takes time to un-do limiting beliefs and instead believe what you know God has placed into your soul.”
I didn’t realize how much my external world has shaped me and contributed to my limiting beliefs.
Parents, sibling dynamics, boyfriends, friends, educational institutions, society, patriarchy, and so much more has caused me to constrict and shrink in ways I hadn’t considered.
I was subconsciously living with a whisper of, “Well, who do you think you are? You’re good but not that good.”
Instead, I have to lean into remembering who the F I am, and living the God-given purpose I know has been placed into my soul. Point blank, period. No questions asked.
Oh and, everyone needs therapy. If they don’t believe in therapy they probably need it the most. Therapy is the best soul medicine you could give yourself when it comes to personal growth.
Cameron’s Aha: “I’m not in danger. I’m just uncomfortable.”
I grew up believing rest wasn’t productive. If I wasn’t doing something useful, I was lazy or not contributing. As an adult, that turned into constant busyness, anxiety around unfinished to-dos, and a deep discomfort with slowing down.
A big therapy breakthrough was learning to separate discomfort from danger. My nervous system treated them as the same thing. Now, when I feel the urge to overwork or panic about my to-do list, I pause and remind myself: nothing is wrong, nothing is unsafe. I’m just uncomfortable.
Learning to sit with discomfort instead of outrunning it with productivity has been incredibly freeing.
Joanna’s aha: “Check the facts. Then communicate clearly.”
I used to react to what I thought someone meant instead of what they actually said.
A big shift for me was using the “Check the Facts” worksheet. It forced me to slow down and separate observable facts from the story I was layering on top. What were the exact words? What was objectively said? What evidence did I actually have for my interpretation?
More often than not, I realized I was filling in gaps with insecurity, past experiences, or assumptions. Taking five minutes to analyze the facts instead of spiraling into my perception saved me from unnecessary conflict, and a lot of internal stress.
The second tool that changed everything was the DEAR MAN framework, which stands for:
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Describe the situation
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Express how you feel
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Assert what you need
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Reinforce why it matters
While staying
It gave me a structure for hard conversations. Instead of over-explaining, shutting down, or getting emotional mid-convo, I could walk through it step by step. It made my communication calmer, cleaner, and more effective.
My biggest takeaway from therapy? Not every thought is a fact, and clear communication is a skill you can learn and practice.
Kristel’s aha: “I can clarify once, then let it be.”
I used to struggle with guilt all the time. Even when I hadn’t done anything wrong, I would replay conversations in my head and worry about what the other person thought I meant. I would rewrite texts, overthink my tone, and keep circling the moment like I needed to defend myself.
Therapy helped me realize a lot of what I called guilt was actually anxiety wearing a guilt costume.
One of the most helpful shifts was learning the difference between clean guilt and sticky guilt. Clean guilt shows up when I missed the mark and need to repair something. Sticky guilt shows up when I feel responsible for someone else’s reaction, or when I assume I was misunderstood and punish myself for it.
Now, when the spiral starts, I do a quick reset:
If I do need to clarify, I keep it simple: “Hey, I’ve been thinking about earlier. My intention was ___. I want to make sure it came across that way.”
Then I let it be. One clear clarification. One release. I’m learning that being thoughtful doesn’t require endless self doubt. My job is to communicate with care and then trust myself.
Guilt is information, and self trust is a skill you can practice.
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