Looking back, I can honestly say: the first year of practice is one of the most tender, uncertain, and growth-filled stretches you’ll ever move through. I don’t say that to scare you. I say that because if you’re in it — you’re not alone.
Here’s what I wish I had known, or at least been reminded of, in those early months.
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It’s okay not to know yet.
You’re not supposed to feel fully confident right away. Clinical confidence isn’t downloaded with your license. It comes from making decisions, reflecting on them, and showing up again the next day with more clarity.
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Simple is powerful.
There’s pressure to “use everything” you learned — but sometimes one treatment principle, applied clearly and calmly, is far more powerful than layering in every possible protocol. Trust the medicine. Let it breathe.
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The patient is the priority — not the plan.
Sometimes your beautifully mapped-out treatment strategy needs to shift because the patient in front of you had a hard day, or their nervous system needs something different. That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong — it means you’re listening.
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You don’t have to do it alone.
I thought I had to prove myself. I thought needing help meant I wasn’t ready. But the truth is, no one practices in a vacuum — and those who grow with integrity usually had someone to walk with them through the in-between.
If you’re in your first year, keep going. Let it be messy. Let it be meaningful. Get the support you need — not because you’re broken, but because you’re building something real.
