This is a powerful phrase: I am worthy. Clients (and all humans) deserve to feel empowered and to believe that they are worthy, just as I see them. For those struggling, the journey towards self-acceptance is not as simple as it sounds. I am worthy means loving yourself in your entirety and often it is marked by internal battles of questioning, second guessing, analyzing, perhaps relapsing, and using newfound coping techniques for better or for worse. Remember how the news of Robin Williams’ death shook those with and without mental illness? It tragically brought to light the basic tenet of “I am worthy.” Sometimes believing “I am worthy” is the work of a lifetime, not to be confused with the desire to belong and be loved by others. There is no better way to understand the darkest depths of mental illness, the deepest self-loathing than to read or hear a survivor’s story. So, next time you suspect a friend is struggling begin with “You are worthy; you are strong; you mean a lot…to me."