Walden Pond, found nestled in the woods of Concord Massachusetts, was the location where Henry David Thoreau wrote his book Walden around 1847. Thoreau lived solitarily, defying the government, and built a tiny cabin on the pond where he gained insights through introspection and communing with the nature surrounding him. His experience is both intellectually inspiring, as well as a lesson in self sufficiency.

I believe in the field of mental health, there is inherent worth developing both a connection to things that are larger than us (nature, faith, community, family, etc.) while also developing an individualized sense of purpose and confidence that are independent of our surroundings. Just as Thoreau was able to transcend his own cultural expectations by living simply and off the land by connecting with himself and nature, he was simultaneously introspective and self affirming his right to be and to live, but to live responsibly and with intention. I aspire to have my therapeutic encounters with my current and future clients to infuse both connection and individual purpose.