An Editor Is Not a Therapist

The other day, a writer reached out to a group of other writers and editors, seeking "an editor/therapist" to help her with a memoir project. Several writers who are also editors jumped in to offer their services to her.

I threw my hat in the ring as well, but also cautioned that editors aren't therapists--unless they happen to be trained in both--and that it was really important to honor those boundaries.

Excellent editors must also be excellent listeners. They need to listen with empathy, skill, and intuition. The lines can get a little blurry sometimes. 

Writing about your personal life touches deep emotions. It can lead to surprising self-knowledge, and it can be very therapeutic. Sometimes, though, you can discover through that process that you might benefit from therapy to help process grief, disappointment, and pain from the past. Writing it out on the page may not be enough.

It's my privilege and joy to work with writers on their essays and books, helping them get clarity about their messages. But I always strive to keep a healthy boundary between the therapeutic listening I do and the therapy they might need.