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We talked. We unpacked what had just happened, discussed the boundaries the participant felt and talked about what she truly needed in that moment. She didn't know what she needed yet. But she did know where her feeling came from. 

Then we did the exercise again and again. We tried different distances, different approaches, each time adjusting and learning.

And then, after some time, the words finally came out of her in a whisper: “I think I need to step back, so I have a bit more space.”

She said it again a bit louder and more secure. “I need to step back, so I have a bit more space.”

The change was subtle but powerful. A sigh of relief filled the room as if the air had been released from the pressure cooker. 

The participant had found a small victory—not over me, but over herself. A breakthrough in understanding what it meant to stand her ground.

It struck me how brave it is to reflect on your own actions, to pause and take a hard look at how you react to difficult situations. Not because someone else is making you uncomfortable, but because you want to change your own response to what’s happening. In that moment, the participant had learned to set boundaries—not just with me, but with the world around her.

I couldn’t help but think how rare it is for us to truly stay close to ourselves. To set boundaries, to be gentle with others, to look at them without judgment. And, on the flip side, how often do we allow people to come close, to let ourselves be known or perhaps to keep our distance because it feels right?

There’s something special about walking with someone, even just for a moment, on their personal journey. Helping them navigate their path, whether it’s toward greater self-awareness or a specific learning goal.

But I’ll be honest... being a training actor isn’t always easy. There are days when it doesn’t feel like a celebration. The pain that others carry doesn’t just stay with them—it affects me too. Sometimes a case can hit too close to home, making it feel deeply personal and confronting.

But in the end, no matter how challenging, this job is something I truly cherish. The moments of connection, growth and understanding—those make it all worthwhile.