What I Mean By, “I Want to Hear Your Story”

Hello. I'm Riley Bidwell, a marriage and family therapist in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I've been practicing for about three years. My path to becoming a therapist was deeply personal: I benefited greatly from LGBTQIA+-affirming, trauma-informed therapy myself. This experience was so meaningful that I realized I wanted to help others in a similar way, leading me to this profession. That's part of my story, and now I invite you to share yours with me.

Understanding Your Story

We all have a "story" we tell about ourselves—a narrative of significant events, people, losses, successes, and dramatic moments. While those details are important, the therapeutic process involves going deeper. When I ask to hear "your story," I mean more than just listing events; I want to understand how those things shaped who you are.

Your story encompasses your core beliefs about the world and, most importantly, about yourself. Perhaps you've internalized labels like "broken," "too much," or believe your relationship is "doomed" or "unfixable."

The Therapeutic Journey

In therapy, we will start by exploring how that self-narrative came to be. Then, I will help you notice and account for life experiences that suggest this may not be the full story. This process isn't about denying your past, but about adding context to create a more complete and fulfilling view of yourself and the world.

I take the invitation to hear anyone's story with the utmost seriousness. I hope to play a role in your journey toward healing and recovery.