Cookies, Learning and Counselor Conversation
I had the honor to sit down with counselor, Jan Vetter at her private practice in the Spokane Valley for my Counselor Conversation series. I brought home baked cookies (see recipe below). My goals with these conversations are to meet counselors, develop relationships, learn about them and their work and to bring them baked goodies. Our profession is an under-recognized one and I just simply want to give back.
Introduction
Upon entering Jan’s office, her welcoming personality was obvious in the space and in her invitation to sit. I was drawn to the colorful decor and the inspiration on the walls. Her office has a big window with lots of light shining through. On one of her walls, she has a saying, “Sometimes, I make stuff up.” On another, “You have to feel to heal.” It was befitting to the way I would describe Jan. What you see is what you get. She is authentic, warm-hearted, fun, so very kind and with a centered spiritual sense about her. There is an ease of being with her both in the serious about life stuff and in not overthinking about it all either.
With my cookie delivery quest, I am asking “What is your greatest learning (big or small) personally and professionally as a counselor?”
Personal Learning
With her personal learning, Jan thought for a minute and then said, “You have to be a friend to have a friend. If you are longing for friends, you have to be one first to have one.” She shared that this was wise advice from someone in her past when she was exploring how to make friends and build relationships. This practice has served her well in developing friendships over the years.
Professional Learning
As we spoke about professional learning, she said, “Two things. One is that my own personal process of healing is ongoing. Embracing this and moving into it helps me stay connected to my clients. The other one, if I was giving advice to a counselor, would be to listen to your inner counselor voice. It is almost always right. If you were called to this profession, it is your gifting. There is something naturally within you that is naturally discerning, so don’t take that for granted.”
More About Jan
When I asked what drew her to this profession, she said, “My own healing journey and wanting to share the success or progress with other people.”
Jan considers herself a Christian counselor, saying, “I think I love letting people know that I am a Christian Counselor. It is the foundation for all that I do, whether it comes into a counseling session or not. My Christian faith brings with it my heart to share grace and acceptance for all, whether it enters the discussion or not. It is the foundation for me as a person and counselor. For those who want it included in their counseling journey, I bring in Christian principles and prayer. I also have found that there are many Christians who have been wounded in church and need a safe place to express and process it. I love being able to help people recover from these significant hurts.”
My Takeaway
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Jan and I am inspired by the lessons she shared. I was reminded about the reciprocity that happens in relationship when friends reach out to each other. And that it starts with each of us to really be a friend. As human beings we each have unique gifts that we bring to what we do. With this as a foundation and embracing our own growth process, this makes us even better with how we navigate life and as counselors. I also value how Jan brings her Christian beliefs in line with serving clients who may both want this as a strength or grapple with this as well. Although, Christianity is not a prerequisite to work with her.
The Cookies
For those that may be interested, I asked Jan what kind of cookies she likes. She answered immediately with anything packed full of chocolate, but not with nuts. I chose to bake “Soft Batch Double Chocolate Cookies” and I brought chocolate milk for dipping these into. I added bits of caramel to some of the cookies. In review of the cookies, Jan said, “The caramel addition was amazing and I dip them in my coffee in the am. It was a lovely treat.” The cookies passed her husbands test too, so this was good news.
When I bake these again, I will roll these into smaller 1 inch balls instead of 2 inch ones like the recipe recommended. These cookies are rich with chocolate, so a little goes a long way. I would actually freeze some of these ahead and take them out, one at a time (thawed, of course) to eat with my morning coffee. I definitely think this is a dipping type of cookie. In case you are interested, this is the link for this recipe.
https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Soft-Batch-Double-Chocolate-Cookies-1232918#directions
I would love to know about your thoughts and learning about this too. Please consider commenting below.
Jan Vetter, MA, LMHCA (WA), LPC (ID) is a counselor in private practice in the Spokane Valley/Liberty Lake area. She specializes in couples counseling utilizing EFT and Gottman strategies. She also serves clients with a trauma history and is close to being EMDRIA certified with EMDR. She is certified through the International Association of Trauma Professionals as a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist. She is a certified Life Languages trainer, Genesis Relapse Prevention and Change group counselor. She can be reached at 509-768-3491.
Jan’s counseling profile can be found on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/jan-vetter-counseling-pllc-spokane-valley-wa/346162
Suzanne Apelskog, MS, LMHC, LCPC, SPTP, BCTMP of Life’s Learning
I started Life’s Learning out of a love for learning that has come from daily living and across my lifespan. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. I practice in Spokane, Washington. I am honored to get to do the work that I do, working with children as young as age 6, teens, adults, family’s and couples. I specialize in grief and loss, transitional life challenges, family of origin healing, trauma and numerous other behavioral or mental health needs. I offer clinical supervision, consultation and training to counselors working towards counselor licensure in Washington State. I facilitate Counselor Conversations and Co-Sponsor other counselors to share their specialties with other counselors as well.
