SJ Thompson, Counseling Intern

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Austin, TX
SJ Thompson, Counseling Intern

Supervised by Ana Maria Cabezas, LPC-S, SEP, RPT I’m a graduate counseling intern at Austin Bilingual Therapy, earning my MA in Counseling from Northwestern.

I welcome adults navigating identity, life transitions, anxiety, and LGBTQ+ experiences.

04/19/2025

Last night I dreamed you could buy therapeutic journal entries online—just download one, write it out, and poof…problem solved.

And wouldn’t that be nice?

Because yes, journaling can be an amazing tool for reflection, clarity, and self-care. But real, lasting change? That’s slower. Messier. Sometimes harder to name. The deep work of therapy isn’t about a one-size-fits-all solution—it’s about understanding who you are and why you are.

At Story and Sage, that’s the kind of work I care about most: helping people unearth the stories that shaped them, and write the ones they want to live next.

04/12/2025

The past few weeks of school have been a deep dive into what it really means to sit with someone’s story—without rushing to explain it or label it too quickly.

I’ve been learning more about diagnosis, and how it’s both a clinical tool and something that can carry real weight in someone’s life. A diagnosis isn’t the whole story—it’s one part of understanding what someone’s been through, and how we might help. That nuance matters.

I’m also thinking a lot about:
✅ How therapy is less about having answers and more about staying curious

✅ How cultural humility isn’t something you master, but something you practice every day

✅ How people often say the most important things with their body language, not just words

This work asks a lot of you—and I’m learning to meet it with openness, compassion, and a willingness to keep growing.

03/20/2025

All history becomes subjective; in other words, there is properly no history; only biography.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson 📖

This quote resonates deeply, reminding us that our personal narratives shape our understanding of the past. The way we interpret and describe our experiences can profoundly influence our lives.

Imagine the impact of:

🔹 Viewing mistakes as essential steps toward growth. 🌱
🔹 Seeing obstacles as adventures that build character. 🏔️
🔹 Recognizing losses as moments that open new doors. 🚪✨

By reconstructing our perception of past events, we empower ourselves to live more fulfilling lives. The words we choose and the stories we tell ourselves hold immense power.

💭 How might changing your personal narrative transform your life?

03/16/2025

The Power of Story—In Marketing and in Therapy ✨📖

I’ve spent my career helping people tell their stories—first in marketing, now as a graduate student training to become a therapist. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: Story matters. It shapes:

🔹 How we see ourselves
🔹 How others see us
🔹 How we navigate the world

Marketing & Storytelling 🎯

In marketing, I leaned into StoryBrand principles:

✅ The customer is the hero (not the brand)
✅ The problem is what drives action
✅ The brand’s role is to guide them to success

Great marketing isn’t about bragging—it’s about helping people see themselves in a story that leads to success.

Learning About Narrative Therapy 🧠💬

Now, as I study counseling, I’m seeing the same thing in therapy. Narrative therapy helps people examine and rewrite the stories they tell themselves—stories like:

❌ “I’m not good enough.”
❌ “I’m stuck.”
❌ “I have no control over change.”

Just like in marketing, people don’t have to stay in the same old script. They can step outside dominant narratives and explore new stories that empower them.

Marketing & Therapy Have More in Common Than You Think

At the core of both is transformation. 🚀

🔹 Clarity creates momentum
🔹 Reframing your story creates power
🔹 The right story changes everything

So, what’s the story you’re telling yourself? And is it time for a rewrite? ⏳✍️

03/15/2025

Welcome to Story & Sage!

I’m SJ Thompson (they/them), a former marketing executive now studying mental health. After years of leading marketing teams, I made the leap to pursue a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Northwestern, specializing in child and adolescent mental health, with a focus on LGBTQ+ and gender issues.

Story & Sage is my space to explore the intersections of mental health, storytelling, and what I’m learning in school along the way.

Join me in this journey.

Address

8700 Menchaca Road STE 205
Austin, TX
78748

Website

https://www.austinbilingualtherapy.com/

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