It is interesting how we gravitate towards working with a population that we have a personal connection with. Initially, I decided to get my masters in counseling psychology to work with adults. However, I got captivated by the psychology of children and the internal dynamics that we are usually not aware of. I thought this was my population. However, as I mentioned elsewhere, I felt I could understand kids that other clinicians couldn’t. I remember one of my supervisors calling me gifted because of this ability to see what others could not see.

When my clients shared their ideas there were many times when I remembered having the same ideas when I was younger. This happened over and over again. Of course, there was a part of me that did not want to accept that I could relate to my client’s “badness.” I was supposed to be the “perfect” all-knowing expert. But I wasn’t, nobody ever is.

I eventually got some genetic testing done and I was very surprised by what I would call the “intensity” of my own version of Non-Formularity. My life makes much sense now that I have this information. It is definitely better to be like everyone else. But when we are not, there is a way to navigate the world to maximize our overall wellbeing. The sooner Non-Formularity is embraced with the help of parents, the better we will feel about ourselves. We will be able to understand that it is our nature to be a little neurotic, but we have the ability (because of that neurosis) to focus, obsess, and excel. But no one can do this alone.