Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amanda Jacobson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Amanda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.

I often think back to the advice and wisdom that I received from previous bosses throughout the years, even some from prior to the mental health industry that I’m in now. I find myself always valuing effective leadership, guidance, and mentorship/advisors, even going as far back my early school years. It’s probably part of my personality to seek higher wisdom and constantly be learning, but I find the lessons and information I’ve gained from these helpful people to continually serve me in my personal and professional endeavors. My first boss was my dad—I worked for him at his own business doing administrative work when I was in my early teens. He taught me to do the right thing, avoid making emotionally-based decisions, and take my time to do good, thorough work. My dad is a very successful and hard-working man who was also my coach growing up as well. He too was coached by his dad so I guess you could say a lot of leading and guiding runs in my family. My next remarkable boss was Mark Trombley at the MSU Forest Akers golf course that I worked at during undergrad. He is funny, easy-going, did not micromanage, and set clear expectations and instructions to do my job well. Next I think of the boss I had at the sushi restaurant I served at during grad school, Rick DeVault. Lessons I took away from him were professionalism, good communication, and most importantly, the power of asking for help. Seeing that I am in a helping field now, this value has rung very true for me. I encourage not only people in my personal life, but my clients as well, to always ask for help when needed. I have come to realize how crucial community is in all of our lives, as we are social creatures by design. As somebody who is self-sufficient and independent, I see the importance of support as the yin to my yang and remember that we’re truly all in this thing called life together. My current mentors, Kyle & Catherine Hinton, are also great bosses. I have worked for them in varieties of ways (they are both therapists as well) and I continue to learn and be supported by them as I grow as a counselor and person. I am so grateful for my relationship with them, and what they remind me a lot of the time is that just by being able to relate as an authentic fellow human goes so far in the therapeutic alliance. I would like to think that I am also a good boss, as I am my own haha. I value teaching, leading, and guiding, and its important to me to embody and pass down the words of wisdom I have gained from my predecessors over the years.

Amanda, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I opened my private practice in May of this year, and so far things have been going really well. I am grateful to effective referral sources, many through word of mouth, which also reminds me that I am doing good work. I am personally setting out to shift the perspective of therapy and healing by validating the human experience first, and then acknowledging the weight of the various roles, expectations, and circumstances that we find ourselves in. Many of these circumstances are consequences of our personal actions, and many of them come from our past or situations where we may not have had as much control. I especially value the traits of awareness, persistence, and bravery, because these aspects allow us to break free from old, unhelpful patterning and conditioning that generations before us may not have known how to handle. I also think that in today’s world, we are fed a lot of messages and judgments from a society that could arguably be a lot healthier and happier. I encourage my clients to challenge some of these ideas and see how they fit for us or not. I believe all humans have the power to tap into their personal strengths and inner tools, as they are the best experts of their own truth. I am a guide to help sort through a lot of the stickiness of life as well as highlight recurring themes. My business name is A Conscious Journey, and that is how I support my clients— through a conscious journey inward and outward to realizing the changes they want to make in their lives. I also especially believe in mind- body-spirit work, which is evidence-based and encompasses an effective, holistic mentality to wellness.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I believe that building positive rapport and removing some of the sterile aspects of therapy helps people realize that taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. I also think it’s important to communicate limitations as a therapist as well, because nobody is perfect or omniscient. Therapists are also humans trying to manage their own personal journeys, and that truth helps clients feel safe and accepted. We all have problems and conditioning that we can work through and change. Self-actualization and empowerment are key aspects that help build people up and feel less reliant on artificial or short-term options for relief.

Any advice for managing a team?

I think that doing our own inner-work and remembering that we are ultimately all humans in one big collective is what helps maintain morale and satisfaction. We need to be able to celebrate our successes as things we are doing well, and use our failures as opportunities to grow. Mindset management is a huge part of how we see ourselves and our journeys, because it can be dark and ominous or optimistic and fruitful depending on what perspective we feed. I also believe that mindful acknowledgment and positive reinforcement go along way, as well as role-modeling personal values.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aconsciousjourneygr.com
• Instagram: @aconsciousjourneygr
• Facebook: @aconsciousjourneygr

Image Credits
New Earth Photo