Meet Lilee Cummins, LAC

TW: reference to trauma and abuse, possibly offensive language

I’m sitting here trying to think of a witty way to introduce myself. A question? A provocative statement? Isn’t that the shit we learned in grade school? Why is it always so difficult, though?!

I decided to just give you a window to my process. Be transparent. The thought that prompted my decision to begin this way was this: Who are you? What do you want to communicate? How do you want to be seen? – I really think these questions are foundational, not just to this introduction, but to life. It’s a lot of what I talk about with people in therapy.

So, because one of the things I appreciate is people getting to the freaking point, here’s my answer…

I want this post to feel like a conversation. I want you to feel my authenticity. I want you to know that I see things outside of the proverbial “box.” I would like for you to feel my kindness. I would like for you to see my passion for helping people. I would like for you to know my passion for working with people who experience depression, anxiety, and/or trauma from relationships in which a high level of control has been forced on them. (See a post to come explaining what this is/looks/feels like.) Most of all, I want you to leave this conversation feeling like you can breathe deeply and love yourself a little bit more. Even if it is just a little bit more. :)

My name is Lilee. It’s nice to meet you! (I’d ask you your name but if I didn’t see it written down, I’d forget it immediately. Also, this is a blog post. So. You can’t answer.)  It’s summer right now in Arkansas and the first thing you need to know about me is that an irrational (not really) anger takes me over when it’s hot. So that’s happening a lot right now. I’m really trying to use all my best coping skills to manage but, woof, this is bad.

Second thing you need to know about me is, I am a human first and a therapist somewhere in the mix of a lot of other things. I enjoy talking about almost anything, especially if I’m learning something new. I think about things with an ambiguous lens. Not black/white, right/wrong, or good/bad. The majority of my life is lived in the “gray” and this is one of the biggest things that brought me to be a therapist.

The third and definitely not the last thing you need to know about me is that I’ve been through shit, too. There’s a reason I chose this profession and a reason why I’m working to specialize in trauma. I know you. I am you. I take anti-depressant meds and I feel better now than I have my whole life because I’m working through my shit WITH others (safe family, safe friends, therapist, etc.) and combining it with meds for now. This is not everyone’s path. Everyone is responsible for finding their own path and I really think I can help. My entire goal in therapy is to help you listen to your own voice. Feel your own body’s needs. To know yourself and to know the impact you want to have on others and this planet.

If you want to talk about it more, just call and make an appointment. Or, did you know you can do it online? That’s so cool, right?! :)

I hope we see each other soon!