Courtnay Veazey

As a counselor-in-training and client, I have thought a lot about my personal story and professional purpose. The generic response a lot of people give when asked why they chose this profession is, I want to help people. Thats great, but there is so much more to our profession. There is a much deeper purpose that runs through our veins and unites us. The more I grow in this field, the more I fall in love with Jung’s concept of the shadow side and the contradictory, yet healing, nature of the light versus the dark. I am therefore more aware of recognizing this archetype.

I most recently recognized this battle between the light and the dark and how their intersection brings healing while listening to a Christian radio station. The song is written by Tenth Avenue North and is titled, Healing Begins. Its theme of how healing begins when you let your walls fall to the ground and allow your light to meet your darkness resounds deeply within my soul. Here are the lyrics:

So you thought you had to keep this up
All the work that you do
So we think that you’re good
And you can’t believe it’s not enough
All the walls you built up
Are just glass on the outside

So let ‘em fall down
There’s freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We’re here now

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you’re broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out
Everything that you hide
Can come crashing through the door now
But too scared to face all your fear
So you hide but you find
That the shame won’t disappear

So let it fall down
There’s freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We’re here now
We’re here now, oh

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you’re broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Sparks will fly as grace collides
With the dark inside of us
So please don’t fight
This coming light
Let this blood come cover us
His blood can cover us

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you’re broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Every time I listen to this song I am reminded of my personal story and my professional purpose. So, whats my story? I am a perfectionist learning to embrace my humanness. And my purpose? I am a counselor-in-training learning how to empower clients to allow their light to meet the dark.

Courtnay Veazey is a graduate student at Mississippi State University pursuing a Master of Science in clinical mental health counseling and working as a graduate assistant at MSU’s Career Center