{"id":44895,"date":"2026-06-22T10:02:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=44895"},"modified":"2026-06-22T10:02:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:02:43","slug":"therapy-feel-safe-inclusive-annette-popernik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/therapy-feel-safe-inclusive-annette-popernik\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes Therapy Feel Safe and Inclusive? Annette Popernik on Language, Identity, and Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Starting therapy can come with a lot of pressure.<\/p>\n

For some people, the pressure comes from not knowing what to expect in a first session. For others, it comes from the fear of being judged, misunderstood, or told how they should be able to handle things on their own. And for many, it comes from a quieter thought that can be even harder to shake: Shouldn\u2019t I be able to do this by myself?<\/p>\n

In her Member Spotlight interview, Annette Popernik<\/a> offers a perspective that feels both grounding and deeply human. She introduces therapy as a conversation where safety is built, and where clients are both validated and challenged. It is a space designed not just to comfort, but to help people better understand themselves and move forward with greater clarity.<\/p>\n

What makes Annette\u2019s approach especially meaningful is the care she brings to helping people feel fully themselves in the room. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian, she places real importance on both cultural and linguistic awareness in her practice. She encourages clients to express themselves in the language<\/a> that feels most natural to them, even if that means bringing in words she may need to learn along the way. For Annette, that is part of creating a space where people feel safe, understood, and true to who they are.<\/p>\n

That philosophy carries through everything she shared in our conversation: therapy should not feel like a place where you have to perform, translate yourself, or arrive with everything figured out. It should feel like a place where you can begin honestly, be met with care, and explore what growth might look like from there.<\/p>\n

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PLAY<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
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Video Interview: Watch the Conversation with Annette Popernik<\/span><\/h3>\n

Watch Annette Popernik’s Member Spotlight interview.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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