Sarah Nyhan

It doesn’t make sense.

I wasn’t even supposed to meet Sojourner. Years after the fact, she told me that she only treated adults at the time she decided to accept me as one of her clients.

She and her husband owned the practice. I was referred to her by one of their male counselors. He was pleasant but I couldn’t open up to him. I didn’t trust men like that. So, one day I told him. I don’t know where I ever found the nerve. But I said that I didn’t think that we’d be able to work together and make much progress.

He brilliantly asked me who I thought I could work with. Without having anyone in mind, I said I thought maybe I’d work better with an older Christian lady who would let me cuss.

I had no idea it would be Sojourner. The thought never occurred to me. Even though she owned the practice, I didn’t know who she was at all.

She told me years later that she only worked with adults. I was a teenager at the time back then. But my male counselor asked her. And for some reason she felt like it was okay to tell him yes.

And wow! I worked with her on and off for maybe close to two decades. Literally saved my life multiple times over. I can’t even tell you how many times I stayed alive just for her. Because I couldn’t see any hope for myself. But she wouldn’t give up on me. So I didn’t want to disrespect her by taking my life.

She literally kept me alive. And then helped me live until enough good things happened that I was able to find my feet and get walking on my own. And even then she continued to give me hope until I could hope for myself.

I never should have even met her. Logically. She didn’t even work with kids. But she decided to say yes that day.