PSU Magazine Winter 1992

Therapist Thayer Willis works out of her Mountain Park office. f years, I was ready for a new chal– lenge." That cha llenge crystallized when a chi ldhood friend committed suicide. everal of Willis' childhood acquain– tances had committed suicide while still relatively young, but her friend's death tipped the cales for her. Her voice till carries tints of frustra– tion and adness nearly ix yea rs after the event. "All I cou ld think wa , 'What's going on here ?' We're supposed to be inheriting all the riche of society, not ju t wealth, and these p op le cou ldn 't cope with their lives. These peop le were in so much pain, and their need weren't being met. I knew I had the experience and the experti e to help the wealthy work through their issues about living with money," she says. That conviction and ZOPSU dP-sire to help led her to the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at Portland tate. At the time, Willis didn't know of any other therapi ts speciali zing in working with the wealthy. he's since discovered a handful of people across the United States doing the same work. But support for her area of practice is limited. Making peace with wealth, a concept that Willis exp lores with her clients, is likely to ra ise the hackles on those whose clients truggle to get by on a day-to-day basis. Willis knows that her work is some– times viewed as unpopular or even politically incorrect. But her own ex– perience has convinced her otherwise. "This is a valid area of practice," she says, leaning forward to emphasize her words. "If you believe in the basic social work premise, which i that every member of society deserves to have the best life possible, then it' clear that this is an appropriate area in which to work." The wealthy, she says, are so cushioned by money that they often don't develop ski lls for getting help. When troubl s surface, they feel iso– lated, friendless, and insecure. They're not ur if people love them for them– se lve or for their money. They may lack a ense of purpose. And the prevailing soc ietal attitude that money brings happiness makes them feel even more isolated when struggling with per– sonal problems. "The American fantasy of living in gorgeous houses, in the best neighbor– hood , with your kids in the best school ju t doesn't hold up, " Willis says. "Money does not equal happ iness. Rather, I think wealth is a form of ener– gy, like electricity. It's neither good nor bad, positive nor negative. It's the meanings that people attach to money-expecting it to make them happy, expecting it to make their lives perfect-it's those meanings that get us into trouble. And because of that,