Therapists make mistakes all the time-I certainly do. I think it's important to be real about that because it's part of being a human in the room. We're not perfect, and we're bound to misread, misjudge, or just plain miss the mark with our clients now and then. But I see those moments as opportunities to show something really valuable: that it's okay to make mistakes, and even more importantly, that it's possible to repair them. One time with a couple, I pushed too fast, too soon. I could feel there was something deep they were both skirting around-an issue with trust that was at the core of so much conflict between them. I thought if we just dove in, we could crack things open and get to the heart of it. But instead of helping, I ended up triggering both of them. They shut down, and I could feel the energy in the room shift from hopeful to guarded. I could see that I'd made a mistake, so I took a breath, owned it, and apologized. I told them I'd pushed too fast, explained my intentions, but also asked them to help me understand what felt safe for them. By slowing down and being honest about my own misstep, we were able to shift back to a safer pace, where they were in control of the process. What I learned from that moment was how much it helps to model humility and repair in real-time. If we can normalize making mistakes and mis-attuning, then making things right, it creates a kind of safety and trust in therapy and within our clients. It gives clients a bit of freedom to embrace their own humanity, too. Therapy isn't about being perfect; it's about being real and learning how to work through the messy parts together.