We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Lloyd recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share a story with us from back when you were an intern or apprentice? Maybe it’s a story that illustrates an important lesson you learned or maybe it’s a just a story that makes you laugh (or cry)?
I have learned many important lessons in my apprenticeship as a therapist and can offer wisdom to the next person who has interest in getting into the Mental Health Field. I will acknowledge to my advantage I worked in social/behavior health after I received my Bachelors Degree and was able to learn more about what worked and what did not work for me. It was a hard truth for me to realize that on some level I would have to choose my own mental health over the Mental Health industry. There are many different routes to take in the mental health field and I decided to work in private practice throughout my time as I recognized there is more flexibility and less stress than working in community mental health. But as with anything, everything has it’s ups and downs. I learned in private practice the importance of customer service and having excellent communication skills. This is something I am still learning but after working at different private practices I learned this is what makes a business stand out from others. I was taught the importance of understanding my “why” behind what I do and identify what value I am bringing into this world. My lesson from my apprenticeship is to not be afraid to stand out and embrace the uniqueness of the qualities you bring to it. You can always turn lemons into lemonade and take the wisdom and bring it with you. Take the good and the things you did not love and see where you can feel the void.
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.
I got into the mental health field because of my own concerns with anxiety as depression as a young person. I struggled with confidence and anxiety for a long time. Looking back, I noticed my concerns coming out when I started middle school and had no idea I was experiencing anxiety, sadness, low confidence as these things were not discussed as much in my community.
To help, I am opening Confidently Me, LLC to address these types of concerns. I will be offering two specific groups to address social anxiety and struggles with being open with our emotions called Becoming Confidently Me and Speak Confidently. Clients will receive specific tools to address their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
What sets me apart is my unique style to approaching client issues. I am invested and believe my clients are capable of reaching the specific goals we set. I believe in making attainable and realistic goals to set them up to win!
I am most proud of the internal work I have done in working on myself through therapy and reflection. I believe the healthier I am the more I can help my clients attain overall wellness. My brand is all about doing the work and enjoying the journey while we work!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Being a fully licensed professional counselor is no joke! I applaud anyone who has completed all the requirements. I had no idea when I decided to go back to get my Masters in Counseling how hard it would be. I worked full-time as a Juvenile Intake offer while completing my course work. That was difficult because my job required me to be on call Monday through Friday. I never knew if I would get a call during class or late at night so my stress was always up. But I made it after 3 years and graduated with w 4.0.
Once graduated and I had to complete another layer of requirements to become fully licensed. We have to first find a job and a supervisor for our license to oversee our work for a period of time before we are able to go out on our own. I’m sure anyone can tell you its no joke! I went through several jobs to find the right fit for me, I endured disorganization and struggles with communication from my leaders which is why I am so passionate about starting my group Speak Confidently. The pay is not great and you have to stay on top of your hours to make sure you are meeting state requirements all while maintaining your personal life and bills!
I stayed because I love to see the progress clients make in therapy. There is not a better feeling in my opinion. I don’t see me doing anything else this fulfilling at this time so I fought for my right to work with my clients because they deserve someone who looks like them as well to see as a therapist.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I had to unlearn is that putting myself first is not selfish. In the mental health community we are in service to others by trade but that does not mean I have to surrender my needs as a human being. It is a hard truth to accept that putting your needs may not benefit everyone. It is hard truth that some may not like your choices but feeling enough conviction to stand behind them in spite of.
The backstory is when I was 21 I put so much stress on myself with others expectations that I am surprised I did not end up in the hospital. But I learned so much from that year and decided that I could not let myself get to that level of anxiety ever again. It taught me that my expectations of myself or worried about others expectations of me don’ t matter as much as my overall wellbeing. Getting to that level made me change the way I engage with life and people and I have been growing in this area ever since.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @lifewithselfeteem or @joinconfidentlyme