After many years working in social services, I finally became licensed in 1996 and moved into private practice in 2006.
Maintaining meaning and engagement while managing my own business, as a clinician, as well as being a wife and mom, has been a purposeful and intentional goal.
I have ambition and I enjoy working hard to realize professional and financial success. I have made it a priority to stay current with technology and move into areas that do not come naturally to me, such as online blogging, social media, and advertising. Although self-promotion will always be a struggle, I know that I must do it, and people really don’t mind (being effective at helping others isn’t enough if people can’t find me).
Thanks to Twitter, I can learn from those working in our field outside of the US, following meaningful cultural trends in Israel, the UK, and Canada (Yasmine Mohammed). I challenge myself by listening to radio stations and podcasts from differing political views, as well as prominent corporate leaders and business coaches (Seth Godin, Chip Conley, Daniel Kahneman). I strive for a bendy brain, growing and learning all the time.
For my personal growth, I always have a book by my bedside, with some sort of self-help message, whether spiritual, or a personal story of victory. I have come to appreciate the Stoics and first-hand accounts of military culture, from Navy SEAL’s (David Goggins, Jocko) to high achieving athletes - true psychological warriors, reminding me to be the best version of myself.
In keeping with my own medicine, last year, my husband and I sought out an EFT counselor to therapeutically process his failing health and its impact on our marriage. We partnered up and it proved to be helpful to our relationship.
I have also utilized a 12-step group for a number of years where I am compelled to be rigorously honest, and in turn, I feel unconditional love. I nurture friendships with professional colleagues; we chat often, consult, meet for walks and coffee. This is integral to my well-being and mental health. Private practice is a lonely proposition and no one should go it alone.
Over the holidays, I organized an open house in my office building; it was a true hodgepodge of small business owners, with an amazing turnout. My primary goal was to provide education to the public but the secondary gain was cross-referring business and a new sense of community.
I enjoy a women's retreat every year and I push myself to attend a live continuing ed professional training every year, preferably not in my own backyard. Most recently, I drove an hour away, the night before, checked into a hotel (all by myself!) ordered room service and took a bath. The next day I met new friends and colleagues.
We are lucky to live in a time of podcasts (Tim Ferris, Sam Harris), YouTube videos, in-depth interviews, self publication and the appreciation of personal disclosure at the hands of terrific authors - from diverse cultures and communities.
Recently, my husband was diagnosed with a serious medical condition (which explains my absent blog posting), I joined a Facebook support group that specifically pertains to his illness; we pool our knowledge of clinical trials and cutting edge medical science, an example of how social media, sharing with a group of strangers across the world, brings me comfort and encouragement. This is the ideal application of a virtual village - with the added bonus of being anonymous and candid.
Recently, my husband was diagnosed with a serious medical condition (which explains my absent blog posting), I joined a Facebook support group that specifically pertains to his illness; we pool our knowledge of clinical trials and cutting edge medical science, an example of how social media, sharing with a group of strangers across the world, brings me comfort and encouragement. This is the ideal application of a virtual village - with the added bonus of being anonymous and candid.
I resist the urge to poo-poo alternative therapies and treatment modalities that are new to me. As I write this, I’m thinking of Silicon Valley money being invested in psychedelic research for the treatment of PTSD and depression. I support fresh ideas and continued advancement in our field.
Finally, as I am now currently in a caregiver role, with two teenage boys in the house, when my work-day ends, I sit down to a 1000-piece puzzle in my living room, meditative and peaceful. I am an anchor point for the household and everyone can find me there if they feel like chatting. A completed puzzle gives me a great sense of accomplishment; there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. Voila!