The Importance of Space
Written by Sarah Hinawi, LMHC
As I write this, I’m sitting in my favorite local coffee joint. The sun is shining and I’m indulging in a delicious Cubano coffee with too much condensed milk. I came here today because I knew it would bring me to the heart place from which I’d like to communicate with the CCPV community.
The space we are in—in journey work, we call it a setting, but in everyday life it has similar significance—impacts what parts of ourselves we are able to access, and what responses or behaviors we are able to inhabit and express. In the virtual “therapy room,” counselor and client are not in the same physical space. I’ve become aware of the challenge this unavoidably creates in arriving together in a shared setting.
As a therapist, I try to make the virtual room as authentic and welcoming as I can. Over time I put the books I have loved and found wisdom from, behind me, the art that represents self-expression to me within my field of view and, when possible, visible on screen. I often wear a necklace I bought to celebrate my licensure, and its weight on my chest reminds me of my purpose and love of the work.
It occurred to me to share a few strategies that guests to the “therapy room” can use to join in a productive setting and get the most of the work between themselves and their therapist:
Make sure you are in a comfortable spot. Moreover, you might want to make a conscious effort to wear a favorite sweater, or hold a favorite mug. Maybe even have some music you love playing quietly, or put your favorite poster behind you. These little actions can bring you into a stronger sense of selfhood and support your efforts to navigate the right path for you.
Often we are rushing meeting to meeting throughout the day and when we land in the zoom room parts of our minds and attention are still other places. To land more quickly and effectively in the “therapy room,” it can help to take even a minute’s pause. Stop your other endeavors. Gather your heart and mind. Notice what you are feeling, and even what you might want to talk about. That may sound like a lot, but a lot can happen in a quiet moment of the mind. You’ll find that you’ll get where you’re going faster in your work if you can bring this much presence forward at the start of every session.
Remember your goal. Your therapist is there to help you get where you want to go. Sometimes when we are in the thick of it, it can feel hard to challenge our own thinking or create the energy for change. Yet growth is part of the shared setting of the “therapy room,” By bringing that mindset with you can work together most earnestly and effectively
Sarah Hinawi is a licensed therapist at the Couples Center of the Pioneer Valley who works with individuals and couples seeking deeper connection, clarity, and growth. Her approach is thoughtful, relational, and grounded in helping people access their inner wisdom with compassion and curiosity. Sarah is especially attuned to how context, presence, and environment shape emotional experience—both in and out of the therapy room.
