Just Be in the Room: Existential Therapy and What Makes a Good Therapist

What makes a good therapist? Sometimes it’s not knowing the right intervention. It’s being willing to just be in the room. Before her first session as a therapy intern, Lindsay Colegrove was terrified. She asked her supervisor what she was supposed to say. The answer: “I just need you to be in the room with this person.” That one sentence changed how she does therapy. In this episode of The Art of Being a Therapist, hosts Ashley Charbonneau and Morgen Villegas talk with Lindsay, a social worker (and Ashley’s sister) who took the long way into the field. Her path ran through early childhood education, school psychology, and a few years managing a restaurant. Today she blends existential therapy, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and policy work. She helps clients explore identity, purpose, grief, and belonging. In this conversation, we talk about: • Why sitting with uncertainty can matter more than having the answer • Why the “blank slate” therapist is a myth • How one hard session taught Lindsay about boundaries and therapist safety • The gaps grad school leaves new therapists to fill on their own • How social workers can blend macro and clinical work If you’re a new therapist who feels lost, or a seasoned one who still struggles to just sit with a client, this episode is for you. 🎧 Full episode and transcript: Just Be in the Room: Existential Therapy and What Makes a Good Therapist https://www.vida-idilica.com/podcast/... CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet Lindsay 01:34 From Curiosity to Social Work 03:44 Macro Meets Clinical 04:55 Values and Real Connection 07:18 Meaning Purpose and Presence 09:45 Sitting With Uncertainty 17:03 Boundaries and Therapist Safety 20:23 Training Gaps and Final Takeaways ABOUT OUR GUEST Lindsay Colegrove, M.Ed., MSW, SWC, ADDC, is a social worker focused on LGBTQ+ mental health, anti-oppressive practice, and equity. Her approach is warm, relational, and strengths-based. https://beecounseling.com/lindsay-col... CONNECT WITH YOUR HOSTS Ashley Charbonneau: https://www.ensopllc.com/ Morgen Villegas: https://www.vida-idilica.com/ #TherapistPodcast #ExistentialTherapy #NewTherapist #SocialWork #TherapistLife #ImposterSyndrome #TherapistSelfCare