We were lucky to catch up with Ruth Earley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ruth, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

I decided to start my own practice alongside one of my closest friends and colleagues, Alisha Lambert. We had worked in the mental health field within the greater Cleveland area throughout our careers and felt like we could create something that would better serve our community, as well as our own needs. As co-founders, our private practice functions as a co-op, meaning that we make our decisions together and put in equal contributions. We encourage any young professional who is considering starting their own practice to lean on others by engaging in conversation with the people that they admire. Network with people who are in the same field, adjacent fields, or business owners that you believe have taken an interesting approach to their own models. When you are first creating a physical space, I also challenge you to engage the creative parts of yourself by developing a brand aesthetic that excites you.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

At Paralleled Bloom, our mission is to foster holistic healing and growth through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS). We strive to create a sanctuary where self-discovery, connection, and healing can flourish.

We aim to empower individuals to understand, embrace, and harmonize the diverse aspects of their internal worlds, fostering a deep sense of inner peace, resilience, and authenticity.

At the heart of our practice is a commitment to providing a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can navigate the complexities of their inner landscapes. We believe that many individual challenges are often a product of inter-generational patterns, social systems, and complex trauma, however, they are regularly labeled as stigmatizing, inherent personal flaws.

With a partnership rooted in compassion, autonomy, integrity, and the belief that each client carries instinctive wisdom, Paralleled Bloom is dedicated to your transformation. Together, we embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing, facilitating the emergence of a more integrated and harmonious Self.

Our therapeutic practice is person-centered, trauma-informed, somatic, and rooted in the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. Through IFS, we create a supportive environment that is compassionate and endlessly curious. During IFS therapy, we will challenge you to meet, and know, the complex parts of you that make you, you.

IFS theory identifies that everyone inherently possesses a “Self” within their core, allowing them to access courage, curiosity, and other powerful traits.

The primary goal of our partnership is to recognize your internal systems and to begin living your life in a way that is Self-led.

We truly believe there are NO BAD PARTS.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

As a therapist and a client, I needed to work with the part of myself that wanted structure and clarity during processes that are inherently unpredictable. Founding a business involves some level of trust in yourself, trust in your business partner, and trust in the broader community to invite your services, which can be very challenging at times. When people ask me how I knew I was ready to start this business, I often explain that I do not think that I was ready, nor do I think that I ever would have felt fully ready. In order to be genuinely successful, you need to engage with the parts of yourself that doubt your abilities and feel anxious about this leap, rather than ignoring them. When working with clients, I often talk about learning to “ride the wave” by accepting life’s tendency to be messy because change is our only constant. I had to learn that I could not predict, or control, this wave.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I would absolutely choose the same profession if I had to go back. I regularly find myself in awe of the fact that I get to show up for other people as my work. I have experienced many emotions alongside my clients because a lot of their personal experiences impact my own parts, as well. I experience daily reminders of just how resilient, capable, and loving people are able to be, even when they have endured earth-shattering trauma.

Our practice is called Paralleled Bloom because when we are in sessions with clients, there is a parallel process that arises when we learn about ourselves, our values, and our work through others’ personal experiences. Parts of my internal landscape might empathize, be activated, or feel held while others meet their own parts. Being a therapist is unlike some other work because it becomes a part of our identity and sense of Self. We think about clients in between sessions, maybe when we read a poem, take a breath, or experience something similar in our own lives.

I am so grateful for the whole experience of my work. I have days that are heavy and feel like too much to carry but, I also have days that feel so fulfilling and aligned with my life’s purpose. Again and again, I would choose to take the challenging days with the rewarding days because I know that this is what I am meant to be doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.paralleledbloom.com/
• Instagram: @paralleledbloomcounseling
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-dubois-earley-lpcc-95972b13a

Image Credits

Photos taken by Kim Stahnke Photography