Love Your Story: The Courage to Embrace Imperfection

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
— Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

At Love Your Story, we have collectively journeyed with Brené Brown through the challenging yet transformative work of confronting our imperfections. Her Ten Guideposts for Wholehearted Living reveal practical, profound ways we can live more fully, authentically, and courageously.

Through this process, one truth has become deeply clear to me — loving your story is not easy, and owning it is even harder.

The Call to Own Our Stories

Every one of us carries an innate desire to own our stories so we can begin to truly live, not just survive. But the work required to “own” our stories can be daunting. Facing ourselves — our past, our pain, our patterns — demands courage. It’s far easier to keep running than to stand still and listen to what our stories are trying to tell us.

That’s where Love Your Story comes in. Our very name reflects our mission: to walk alongside others as they learn to love, understand, and reclaim the narratives that shape them.

You might be wondering, “Sure, that’s a great name, but there are thousands of therapists out there. Why are you different?”
That question is precisely why you’re here. Maybe the answer won’t be what you expect — but perhaps it’s exactly what you need.

So, who are we?

Love: Willing the Good of the Other

To understand who we are, let’s begin with the first word in our name — Love.
It’s one of the most discussed, misunderstood, and yet essential words in the human vocabulary. Is love a feeling or a choice? In truth, it’s both — but more profoundly, it’s an action.

St. Thomas Aquinas defined love as “willing the good of the other.” It’s a definition that captures the essence of how we, as therapists, approach our work.

A Thought Experiment

Imagine being the middle child in your family. Your older sibling struggles with alcohol addiction, and one night, he asks you for $20 to buy more alcohol. Would it be loving to give him the money, or to refuse?

If you believe love means enabling, then you might hand over the $20 without question. But if you believe love seeks the good of the other, then you recognize that saying “no” — though painful — is actually the more loving choice.

Love, then, is not about comfort; it’s about truth. It’s about doing what leads to growth, healing, and freedom — even when it’s uncomfortable.

That’s the heart of therapy.
A therapist may never say the words, “I love you,” but our work is rooted in that very principle: to will your good. Every question, every silence, every challenge we offer is guided by that intention — to help you discover the best, truest version of yourself.

Your: The Story Belongs to You

The second word in our name — Your — reminds us that therapy is not about us. It’s entirely about you.

At Love Your Story, we often begin with a simple yet profound question: “Who are you?”
And just as often, people struggle to answer. That’s because identity — like healing — is rarely straightforward.

Therapy is an invitation to explore that question, not because something is necessarily “wrong” with you, but because growth is always possible. One of my mentors once told me, “You don’t have to be sick to get better.”

That statement has shaped how I see therapy.
You might not be in crisis. Life might feel “good enough.” But what if “good enough” is standing in the way of something extraordinary? Therapy isn’t only for the broken — it’s for the brave. It’s for those willing to discover who they are beneath the noise of expectations, fear, and survival.

Our goal is to create a space where you can simply be — fully and freely.
A space that feels like home.

And “home” isn’t just where we rest our heads.
It’s where we feel safe enough to take off our daily masks, speak our truth, and be seen without judgment. That’s the environment we strive to build at Love Your Story — a space where your story matters and where you can begin to make sense of it.

Story: The Thread That Makes Us Human

And then there’s the third part of our name — Story — perhaps the most beautiful and complex word of all.

Who are you, and what’s your story?
It’s a question I never tire of asking, because I believe our stories and identities are inseparable. The stories we carry shape us — but the people we choose to become also shape the stories we tell.

When clients come to therapy, they’re often seeking a place to unpack their story: the plot twists, the losses, the betrayals, the villains (and sometimes, realizing that the villain has been themselves). Therapy is where we can re-examine these chapters — not to erase them, but to understand them, learn from them, and ultimately reclaim them.

Because your story is not over.
It’s still being written.
And you get to hold the pen.

The Love Your Story Experience

So, what does all of this mean when it comes together?

If love is willing the good of the other, then Love Your Story is about willing the good of people — not just through what they do, but through who they are and the stories they carry.

You may still be skeptical, wondering, “Okay, that sounds nice, but why you? Why this place?”
The truth is, we’re not here to convince you. Healing can’t be forced. It’s an invitation. All we can do is offer a glimpse of what therapy with us can look like — authentic connection that fosters belonging, which in turn nurtures growth.

At Love Your Story, we don’t claim perfection. In fact, our strength lies in embracing imperfection — our own and yours. It’s in our humanity that we find common ground. Because real connection doesn’t happen in spaces of perfection. It happens when we feel safe enough to be imperfect together.

The Courage to Begin

Maybe you found yourself reading this today because something inside you knows it’s time. Maybe you’ve whispered to yourself, “I wish I loved myself — or my story — more.”

And maybe life isn’t falling apart. Maybe things are fine. But what if “fine” isn’t where you’re meant to stay? Remember: you don’t have to be sick to get better.

At Love Your Story, we believe that healing begins the moment you choose to stop hiding from your story and start owning it — all of it. The pain, the joy, the shame, the resilience, the love.

It’s in owning the darkness that we discover the light Brené Brown speaks of — the light that’s been within us all along, waiting for us to see it.