Finding Rome

As a musician and therapist, I’ve learned that the beginning of anything—whether it’s the germ of a new song or the first session with a client—comes with a certain risk. There’s this temptation to want to figure it all out right away, to get it right from the start. But that kind of thinking can lead to paralysis, where the need for perfection stops progress before it even begins.

My challenge, whether I’m forcing a song from an initial riff or setting the tone with a new client, is to embrace the mindset that all roads lead to Rome. Just begin—play that first chord, dive into that first question—and trust that the process will guide me to where I need to be. More often than not, I end up in my version of Rome, just not as dusty.

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