We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alison Hild. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alison below.

Alison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Prior to becoming a Clinical Psychotherapist, I worked in the music industry for nearly a decade. My career in music began at an independent record label in the Hudson Valley (New York State). While there, I had the opportunity to wear many different hats but primarily worked in promoting our artists for radio play. When I moved out to Los Angeles in 2014, I was hired by a major TV studio where I had the opportunity to music supervise and clear music for use in our projects. I loved my time working in music and in the entertainment industry. I found the relational aspects of working with others to be particularly fulfilling, especially developing friendships with creative professionals and helping musicians navigate their careers. Through these experiences, I learned a great deal about the unique pressures that creatives and entertainment industry professionals face. Since I was a child, I have always felt connected to and inspired by the healing arts and psychology. Although it felt like a big risk at the time, I decided to walk away from my career in music a few years back and it has been a rewarding journey. As a private practice clinician, I get to use my training in psychotherapy and my background in the arts to support others. Many of my clients are creative-minded, including musicians, actors, fine artists and writers. I also provide LGBTQIA+ affirmative therapy and specialize in working with clients who are interested in a more holistic & spiritually focused healing experience.

Alison, 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 am an integrative clinical psychotherapist who specializes in working with creative minded individuals, couples and the LGBTQIA+ community. I weave Jungian, Depth, and Spiritual psychology with EMDR, Internal Family Systems and Somatics. As a trauma-trained clinician, I understand the gentleness which is required when utilizing a bottom-up approach to healing through Somatic therapies, breathwork and mindfulness-based approaches. My work is deeply informed by Psychodynamic and Depth therapy which means that my clients and I will often take a look at dreams, synchronicities, and symbols to serve as a bridge with the unconscious aspects of being. Together, we softly dive to explore unhelpful patterns, behaviors and beliefs. I am passionate about working with inner child healing, self-worth, reparenting and attachment wounds. I enjoy working with clients who identify as empaths or highly sensitive people. There is a soul-centered approach in my work as a clinician and I view my role as a therapist as providing care for the soul. In our society, we can find ourselves quite split from our deepest and truest Self. I enjoy walking alongside my clients as we look at the ego identities that have formed as a result of their life experiences and which parts of these identities feel in or out of line with who they are at their core/in their soul. I use a creative approach in my therapeutic work and, when appropriate, I will offer clients a blend of CBT tools, zen philosophies, art therapy, tarot and sound healing. I work with clients who are looking to: increase their self-esteem, repair self-doubt and limiting beliefs, heal their inner child, lessen anxiety symptoms, explore their defense mechanisms and identify emotional barriers which could be blocking creative output and/or success. When working with couples, the focus is on improving communication with one another and structuring a safe space to learn about one another’s attachment styles and love languages. My work is informed by sex therapy and I help clients with exploring their trust in one another, identifying relational wounds and I provide tools for increasing connection. My office is located in Pasadena and I offer virtual sessions throughout Los Angeles.

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

An aspect of being a therapist that I find very inspiring is that there are so many different avenues that one can go down in this profession. I believe that what makes a great therapist is someone who is not only tender-hearted, but they are also hungry for knowledge and identify as a life-long learner. The human experience is incredibly complex and it is crucial that clinicians are willing to continue pushing themselves, learning new tools, unlearning bias and expanding their perspectives. I also believe that it is important for any aspiring clinicians to ensure that they have done inner-work themselves as it is imperative that one’s own experiences don’t color any of the work that is done with clients.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I have found that word of mouth has been the most impactful when growing my reputation as a clinician. Many prospective clients reach out to me as they have heard about me from another client or clinician. Aside from this, I believe that it is helpful for clinician’s to identify their ideal clients and their niche. As there are so many different modalities and approaches to therapy, it is helpful for both clients and for clinician’s to figure out what kind of therapy speaks the most clearly to them. Honing in on a specialty and developing a confidence within that area of focus is a key element for growing clientele.

Contact Info:

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