We recently connected with Julie Burke and have shared our conversation below.

Julie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?

When I think about the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me, I honestly think of my best friend Katherine. It is arguably impossible to describe who she is as a person and/or what our friendship is like–she is someone who knows me on a soul level and I’m in one of those amazing (and rare) situations where we’ve been by each other’s sides for the last 26 years…woah. Anyway, the process of becoming fully licensed as a clinician (I’m a licensed professional counselor…or LPC for short) is no easy feat…in a nutshell: once someone earns their grad degree in counseling (or social work, or whatever they studied–mine specifically is in counseling), you have to take an exam that makes you eligible to be provisionally licensed in the state you are in. Once you have that eligibility, you have to work under the supervision of someone (in my case, I was an LPC-Intern (now called LPC-Associate) working under an LPC-Supervisor). The best way to describe supervision is kind of like a medical residency; I was licensed in the state of Texas and was seeing clients in a professional/therapeutic capacity AND to become fully licensed (an LPC), I had to work under my supervisor for a minimum of 18-months and meet with her weekly for guidance, case-consultation, trainings, support…all the things (and trust me…all the things are needed, especially when you are first starting out). WELL. I was fortunate to begin my experience as a provisionally licensed clinician at a group counseling practice that was run as a private practice (which is honestly how/why I was able to open my own private practice today!). This opportunity was invaluable, and also SO difficult…especially at the beginning. When I first started seeing clients, I had to start from 0…my entire income was based on repeat clients coming into the office so I could make a livable wage (side note: my first client ever did NOT come back for a second session…which now I understand, however, this created major imposter syndrome at the time). Well, because I was a brand new, baby clinician starting at what was basically a private practice, I was in a situation where I was, in one hour, making more money than I ever had before and in total, making the LEAST amount of money I ever had as an adult. I had typical bills that everyone has to pay and acquired a monthly fee for supervision which was $325/month…which was absolutely worth it AND a challenge to navigate this new monthly fee. Four months into working at this group practice, managing imposter syndrome & low confidence as a counselor, and making VERY little money, I found myself in a position where I was unable to pay for supervision one month…this felt paralyzing, shameful, and I felt like a fraud. Why did I think I could do this? Why am I in a job that I’m not making money? How am I going to pay for this? Will I ever make money? Does this mean I won’t be successful? If it’s a question you can think of…I probably had it going through my head. Needless to say, I ended up asking Katherine if I could borrow the $325 I needed to pay for supervision that month…I was nervous to do it and it was the only solution I saw to a problem I didn’t know how to handle. Of course, Katherine being Katherine, helped me and loaned me the money. I am truly forever grateful…and want to name this act of kindness is NOT just about the money…in fact, I think that’s the least significant part to me (now…6 years later). In letting me borrow money, Katherine gave me permission to ask for help in a way that helped me feel safe, secure, and it helped me realize this was a VERY human interaction, thing to do, place to be. This has also given me permission to share this story with others…as a successful private practice owner now, I don’t ever want to lose sight of the struggles I experienced when I first started…whether this looks like honoring sliding scale fees for clients, lending money to someone (I know & trust) in need, or honoring and valuing the friendship I have with Katherine (and so many other wonderful people)–it really shows the value of asking for help and what may come if/when you allow yourself to do so. In so many words, this taught me what vulnerability looks & feels like in the safety of a trusted relationship and is a MAJOR component to the work I do with clients today.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I am the owner & therapist of Violet Crown Therapy–a therapy practice in Austin, Texas (although I am able/willing to work with people in the entire state of Texas!) My goal, always, when working with clients is to support them with authenticity & connection…whatever that looks like for them (and it wildly varies from person-to-person–which is one of my favorite things)…in so many words, my work is all about being human…what that means to people and how to connect & be see on a truly human level. As cliche as it sounds, I TRULY think being a therapist was my calling…connecting with people and being able to help people navigate their most vulnerable moments & help them acknowledge their needs is a beautiful thing. It also, in many ways, is such a strange job…I’m the ultimate secret keeper & knower of things for so many people’s lives…what a wonderful & curious thing to do. I also don’t want to dismiss everything that goes into being a clinician in mental health…this job is TOUGH in many ways…I just want to honor the beauty of it in this space.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Authenticity! 1000X over, authenticity. Truth be told, this was a struggle for me in the beginning. When I first began my work as a therapist, I hid a lot of what makes me, me. For example, I work in an affluent neighborhood in Austin, so as a heavily tattooed person, I was nervous that I would be rejected if people saw my tattoos (cue imposter syndrome). So, I found myself wearing jeans, cardigans, and scarves…all things that are perfectly fine to wear (and quite frankly, part of my wardrobe at times), however, I was wearing it (and taking photos in these outfits) for the sole purpose of hiding myself. At the time, my thought was “once clients meet me, they’ll like me…and if they like me, they’ll be okay if I have tattoos”. Honestly, my heart hurts for that version of me…especially because now I fully embrace that and WANT to share that part of my identity with clients. In fact, one of my favorite voicemails I ever got from a client inquiry stated something along the lines of “I heard you’re basically a tattooed Disney princess therapist…and I really think that my child would like you because of that”. That. Felt. Amazing. AND gave me permission to authentically be myself, always. Whether it’s in a therapeutic space with a client, on my website, or any other place I’m marketing myself (or seen in any other capacity), I am confident that clients will see ME (as opposed to the “work” Julie or “Therapist Julie”…it’s always just me).

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

I would make this claim for ANY field…not just mental health. You can have ALL the training/knowledge in the world, however, if you do not take care of you, you will NOT be successful. It is imperative to live intentionally and to create routines/habits/systems (early on–NOT just when you’re feeling exhausted & worn out) to have a manageable work/life balance. This is a lesson, 6 years into being a therapist, that I am STILL learning to this day. My lack of healthy habits was initially brought to my awareness in supervision early on (so grateful for this) and just recently, I was talking to my own therapist about how I felt too busy and needed to notice what my limits/capacity for things were to make sure I wasn’t over-committing to things (I was…and often do). It’s extremely important to practice self-care, self-awareness, and know your needs (both related to work and your personal life)…and can be easier said than done/take practice & intention to do so.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.violetcrowntherapy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/violetcrowntherapy/

Image Credits
Misty McLendon Photography