We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ariel Black a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ariel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
One of the most kindest and life changing experiences I ever encountered was being able to work with my clinical supervisor Dr. Nicki Pike. During the early stages of my career, I was very ambitious and motivated to grow as a therapist. I truly wanted to learn and develop as much as I could. I was deeply passionate about providing my clients with a safe and compassionate approach that would enable them to heal from the challenges they were facing.
In the past, I really struggled to find a clinical supervisor that would provide me with the tools and insight I needed. Not only was it difficult to find an available supervisor, most of them had different beliefs behind mental health and holistic healing. From my personal experience most clinical supervisors would shut down the idea of processing burn out, empathy fatigue, or perhaps even secondary trauma that we therapists unfortunately encounter. I often times felt lost and hopeless that I would ever find a supervisor that would help me develop into the person and clinician I wanted to be.
Before Nicki took me under her wing and accepted me as her intern, she knew that I was at a very fragile place. I wasn’t happy with my career or personal life at the time. She understood that I needed a clinical supervisor to help guide me through this challenging and complicated rough patch.
Before Nicki, I never felt like anyone believed in me or provided the same level of opportunities. She helped open my eyes and find my voice as a therapist. Never in my life have I ever felt so loved and cared for as a person. I truly don’t believe that my clinical work or abilities would be the same without her and I hope to give back in the same way she did for me.
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 back background and context?
I am a licensed psychotherapist (#119825). I provide mental health services to the local Los Angeles and Orange County surrounding areas. I have experience working with teens, adolescents, adults, couples and families. All of which have presented with a variety of issues including but not limited to: anxiety, depression, trauma, relational conflict, self-esteem, substance abuse and LGBTQ+ related issues. I utilize a psychodynamic framework in which enables clients to uncover the unconscious and reoccurring patterns that often times prevent one from moving forward and making the desired the changes in their life.
Most of the clients on my caseload are considered to be high functioning individuals with underline symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma ect. Meaning that they can still go to work, attend school, engage with friends/loved ones, or still find the means to follow through with day to day activities. However, these individuals still find themselves struggling to find a deeper meaning to life or experiencing mental road blocks with getting over the past and finding inner healing.
During the therapeutic process, my main focus is the relationship and connection I have with my clients. I truly understand that it is important to feel grounded and secure when processing deep rooted and painful issues.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Most people don’t realize that there is a lot of time and energy that goes on behind the scenes of sustaining and growing a psychotherapy practice. Yes, there is the typical marketing, note taking, billing, appointment setting, ect. However, probably one of the most complicated and time consuming business strategies I use in order to build my clientele is self care. I think most people assume self care consists of bubble baths, face masks, reading books or taking long vacations. Even though I do consider all those activities relaxing and beneficial- my daily form of self care might be a little different than what most would expect.
I truly believe that as a therapist it is important to practice what you preach. Therefore my own mental health has become a top priority in my life. Not only do I attend weekly counseling sessions with my own therapist, I am very careful and mindful about the friends, family and colleagues I keep in my life. I am constantly working on setting boundaries, practicing vulnerability, and breaking through my own personal fears and traumas.
I realize that sitting in an office and processing deep emotions for extensive periods of time requires a lot of self decline in order to keep my brain healthy and focused. The majority of my clientele comes from client referrals, colleagues, or other like-minded small business owners. Most people know that I am not a fan of insurance companies or large agencies dictating how I help and care for my clients. Therefore, I believe that growing and maintaining my practice is heavily reliant upon the relationships I form and the quality of work I produce.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
I knew that I wanted to become a therapist since age eleven. I am one of those rare individuals that never changed majors or career paths along the way. I went straight from undergrad to grad school and then proceeded to complete the necessary 3,000 hours of internship experience. I do somewhat regret not taking a break in-between my bachelors and masters program due to the fact that I realize that I did not have the same life experiences as most twenty year olds. However, never once did I ever regret being in this profession.
Being a therapist never gets boring. I am constantly evolving, changing, and learning as a person. Over the years I have worked with thousands of individuals from all over the country and different parts of the world. Its fascinating to observe that all humans are more similar than what most would think. I have seen so many different walks of life ranging from doctors, stay at home moms, or teenagers struggling with substance abuse. It is extremely intriguing to observe that everyone encounters the same common struggles of grief, loss, abandonment, fear, anger, and sadness no matter where we have come from.
Being a therapist one of the few and only careers I could envision myself gracefully transitioning into retirement. I plan on providing psychotherapy for as long as my brain works and I am able to have the strength to do so. I do see myself slowing down and reducing my caseload as I get older. However, I do not plan on completely retiring until I am much older in age and perhaps maybe need to focus on other means in my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.arielblackpsychotherapy.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/arielblack_psychotherapy?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Ariel-Black-Psychotherapy/100068853226702/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-black-9b614195?challengeId=AQF19wsi2wSl4AAAAYr0Rlms3oSUcI9WDuWDUDwO8ryVEW-1vNtiqjLK7YBJs-b7kdnL8oX_BsnOQ46LAa4xXBA9wwNorukfGQ&submissionId=f5114463-d685-8a17-6b88-40a387323138&challengeSource=AgFvvm-VSG-GigAAAYr0RmBBzzHpFvH5s_caLoDLF3tXT8SPiVSulR-GQplEHn8&challegeType=AgHRjrVur4d8mwAAAYr0RmBEf1s57pMmHybCEexkVQ4kpwzsKO_sPf0&memberId=AgEnorOhxelHvwAAAYr0RmBH7wiGNFqV3vAy1EWN26Yb_fQ&recognizeDevice=AgHt6hKB4Iyo7gAAAYr0RmBKuEKVmZkIHSCicjfRJjoCjkPOpW5D
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ariel-black-ms-amft-long-beach
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/ariel-black-long-beach-ca/306957
Image Credits
All photos taken by Ariel Black