As I present the name Larch Counseling to people, they often wonder if the name has any significance, and it just so happens that it does. When I was thinking of names for my counseling practice, I was drawn to the name because it is a unique name, but also because the Larch is my favorite tree. As I pondered the idea of using the name Larch Counseling, I realized that the name is more significant than just being my favorite tree, but also has a meaningful analogy behind it.
The Analogy of the Larch Tree
The Larch Tree is a unique tree in that it is of the Conifer Family, which include the Fir, Pine, Hemlock, and Cedar. All of these trees are evergreen trees, meaning they do not lose their needles in the fall. The Larch, however, is distinctive to the family in that it acts like a deciduous and in the fall turns orange, then bright red, and then all the needles fall off. In the summer, the Larch Tree looks just like a fir or pine, but in the fall it appears different. To someone who does not know the nature of the tree, it would appear that it is a fir that is dying.
It reminds me that sometimes we can try to fit people into a single story, and treat everyone in the same way, though we are not all the same person, but have many factors influencing us such as biology, environment, and experience. If we were to treat the larch tree as a cedar, it would not live. I once tried to transplant an Alpine Larch to my yard, but within a week it died. I did not consider that this type of tree needed cooler climates, with less competition for sunlight.
The goal of counseling, in my opinion, is to identify the uniqueness to each person’s story, and try to find ways for them to relate to the world and people in new ways that promotes health.
A Poem for the Name
I Am a Larch
I am a Larch tree, born to the conifer family
Those who find me in the summer
Say I am full of health with my green needles
They often mistake me for my brother
And call me a fir
As I stand in the summer
The mistake is merely an irritant
For though I am admired for my health
They call me by the wrong name
And Say I am a fir
I am a Larch tree, born to the conifer family
Those who find me in the fall
Say I am ablaze with my red needles
They often mistake me for my brother
And call me distressed
As I stand in the fall
The mistake is wounding
For though they desire the best for me
They begin to see me as sick
And say I have a Bark Beetle
I am a Larch tree, born to the conifer family
Those who find me in the winter
Say I am sickly with no needles
They often mistake me for my brother
And call me dead
As I stand in the winter
The mistake is grave
For Though I am not a fir
They say that I am
And cut me down
If only they knew that I was a Larch Tree
They would have admired me in the fall
Accepted me in the winter
And watched me grow in the spring
For though I am a Conifer, I behave like a deciduous.