We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Allison Stepka a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

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

In my personal and professional life, I’ve had to unlearn that it is my job to fix people’s problems. I grew up with a problem-solving state of mind: if there is a problem, just fix it. And while this works with external problems, like car troubles and deadlines, we are not in control of many aspects of our lives, and some problems can’t be fixed. And while that may sound hopeless, it can actually be really empowering because it gives us an opportunity to reflect on what is in our control and can be acted on, and more importantly, what is out of our control and changing our relationship to how we relate to that thing. A major principle within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is that pain is inevitable and suffering is optional, and seeking control over things we don’t control, like thoughts/feelings/other people, only creates more suffering. So I tell my clients all the time that while I can’t take away your pain, I can help you to carry it, find meaning within it, and reduce behaviors that increase suffering around it.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Other than training or knowledge, I think the more helpful aspect to have for succeeding in the field of psychology is having a strong network within the industry of people who call on you and refer clients to you and this is absolutely crucial to being a successful therapist. Something that has helped me to strengthen my network has been dedicating some of my hours to an agency, as well as donating my time to guest lecturing at Pepperdine each semester. Going the extra mile to consult with people and give your time away comes back to you. In addition to this, I find that creating a niche for yourself keeps you at the front of people’s minds for those particular mental health issues, which for me is specifically ACT and EMDR for OCD, Anxiety and Trauma. I think a lot of budding therapists try to learn about everything to be able to capture the most amount of people in their practice, but then find that it dilutes referral sources rather than being known for a particular thing or set of things.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.allisonstepkamft.com
• Instagram: @ACTYourWaytotheLifeYouLove
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-stepka-lmft-lpcc-714567121/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ACTYourWayToTheLifeYouLove