My 9-year-old son tells me regularly what is and what is not a vibe.  Many times I unintentionally kill his vibe, and so does his homework.  A vibe is usually referenced as a positive feeling, emotion, impression, or sense unless expressed as bad or negative. My therapy clients use this term regularly, and it’s non-discriminant of age, culture, and background.

 

My clients express if they were “vibing on a first date,” if their boss ruins the “vibe,” and if they like the “vibe of others.” The so-called “Vibe” appears to be a new scaling matrix for me to assess the client’s interpretation or, better yet, their interoception of a person, place, or thing. This new shorthand captures the clients' impressions and emotions.

 

Not unlike outside the therapy room, there is also a vibe inside. A vibe that the client and myself curate. I hope that it's a felt sense of safety, respect, and care. I aim for my energy and the atmosphere to be non-judgemental, compassionate, and curious. I invite my clients to report how our relationship is going and if they have positive feelings toward the work and my interventions. I invite feedback and ask clients if they feel we are “vibing.” Thankfully we usually are.  

 

So in an embarrassing attempt to capture the oh-so-coolness of my clients and son’s language, let’s vibe.

 

Mandy