Day 31: Will's Impact on Rupa

#96days96ways #day31

Sweet Will, I want you to know that you matter and that your story has not only impacted my life, but also the lives of the children and families with whom I work. I’m a child psychologist, and one of the hardest parts of my job is telling parents that their kids have a learning or neurodevelopmental disability that will likely impact the trajectory of their lives. I spend a lot of time working with families to devise plans to support their kids. While I think about how I approach these situations with families often, your story has made me think about this part of my job much more deeply. Your mom has been incredibly brave and has shared many personal details about your story. Even though you and I never met, Will, and even though much of your story takes place in a hospital with doctors and nurses and not in an office with a psychologist, it has made me more self-aware and conscious of the way the families with whom I work are experiencing and interpreting our time together. Because of your family’s story, Will, I always think twice about the language that I use and the message that I convey with my words and my body. I try extra hard to be a professional who is compassionate, empathetic, and available for my clients, and thinking about you often helps me to achieve those things. You will always be remembered and loved, sweet Will.

Rupa Robbins