Supportive Communities Acknowledge the Whole Person.

Therapists understand that personal life and professional life overlap in predictable and surprising ways.

We watch for countertransference in session. We gauge the energy level that we're bringing to work each day.

(And at our worst, we argue with each other about whether it's "ethical" to take a drink of water, take a bite of a protein bar, or wear comfortable clothes in session. ::sigh::)

So when Angela Acosta of The Gal Project asked for people to discuss this overlap of the personal and professional in business spaces, I felt the therapist's perspective needed to be represented.

Her main question was whether it's enough to "keep it to work" in professional support communities (masterminds, support networks, consultation spaces), or whether there needed to be space for the personal.

Or do we assume we're here to deal with the things that go on between the ears, and nothing else?

And if you're in leadership, can you check on your team in a way that acknowledges the whole person?

There is no right or wrong answer. Keeping politics out of the actual workplace may be the most protective and helpful thing you can do for a vulnerable minority, harmed in this day and age by more visibility.

But in our consultation spaces, in our masterminds, in our support groups, a nod to the pressures of life beyond the DSM diagnosis or revenue cycle? That can help your people a ton.

Speaking of the DSM - the shift from version 4 to version 5 is relevant here, as the concept of multi-axial diagnosis is gradually drifting out of our daily practices.

In the current DSM-5, you take an assessment with lots of information, and squeeze it into as many formal, official diagnoses as you need. This has it's benefits, including smoothing communication across teams.

But with a DSM-4 multi-axial diagnosis, one diagnosis comes with an addendum. The assessment information becomes part of the diagnosis. This means that a human's development, medical concerns, relationships, and daily functioning aren't treated like they're happening outside the therapy room or some other professional's problem. A person's life concerns become essential data that inform the mental health treatment plan.

Therapists used to formally acknowledge the whole person, not just the space between the client's ears.

And if you are in a community or if you run a community where you have power, you can bring that perspective back. Give people more room!

• Room to be themselves

• Room to acknowledge how their personal challenges may be showing up in their work

• Room to take time to transition between contexts

• Room to log off early if the meeting's purpose has been achieved

• Room to choose a way of working that makes the rest of their lives sustainable

You have the power to make meetings, support groups, and consultation spaces more engaging, enjoyable, vital, and stable. And that helps re-energize therapists to keep doing the job.