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

Alright, Bailey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

One risk that I took was moving to Austin to pursue my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. To be candid, school was never my strong suit. I often held the self-critical belief that I wasn’t “smart enough” or “capable enough”, especially when it came to academics. Along with this self-limiting belief, I barely knew anyone living in Austin and had only visited the city once before. So, there was a good amount at risk here. And wow, am I glad I took that risk! While I was lucky enough to have supportive friends and family members, making the decision to apply to grad school in Austin felt really intimidating as it quite literally placed me in a position where the self-critical beliefs I carried, had the high possibility of being reinforced. I am so proud that I trusted my gut and listened to the voice that told me “you got this, you belong here”. Fast forward to the rewards of this risk… I graduated from St. Edwards University with a 4.0, have an incredible Austin community, have met some of my very best friends as well as my now fiancé and have learned so much about myself as a human and as a therapist.

Bailey, 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 a Licensed Professional Counselor – Associate at Austin City Counseling. Throughout college and even afterwards, I would dedicate my summers volunteering at different Children’s Advocacy Centers around Texas. Every time I left a CAC, I left with a full heart, gratitude for all of the blessings in my life, and with the highest hopes for these tender, loving and resilient kiddos. This was definitely a light bulb moment for me in regards to what I felt I wanted to do with my life, career wise. Additionally, I also was inspired to come into this field because after my own meaningful experiences in therapy, it was evident that I wanted to provide the same light for others that my therapists provided for me. And although these therapists did indeed provide a light for me, they also helped me find that light within myself, which is what I hope to do for my clients.

I’m really into working with teens and young adults grappling with challenges such as feelings of depression and/or anxiety, tendencies towards people-pleasing, and self-critical beliefs. I support these individuals in helping them with recognizing / breaking patterns, empowering them to align with their personal values and encouraging self-compassion toward hurt or ashamed parts of themselves.

I am most proud to say that counseling with me is whole hearted. I understand the common concern that clients may harbor—wondering if their therapist genuinely cares or is solely fulfilling a professional obligation. While counseling is indeed my profession, my commitment to each client runs deep and I care deeply for each individual I work alongside.

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

In graduate school, the understanding that I felt was often conveyed was that therapists should maintain a neutral facade, always refrain from self-disclosure, and maintain strict professionalism. While these guidelines have their merit and boundaries are essential, I’ve also come to realize the value in embracing my own imperfections, personality and humanness in the therapy room. By authentically showing up as my imperfect self, I feel I create a space where my clients feel empowered to do the same.

Along with this, if a client shares a funny moment with me, you can most likely expect me to laugh alongside them. I then might guide the conversation to explore how their laughter may serve as a coping mechanism or reflect underlying emotions, however it’s not always necessary to go there immediately. Therapy doesn’t have to be serious all of the time! While so much deep transformation can happen in the therapy room and many challenging emotions can surface, there’s also space for laughter, joy and relief. I personally feel this approach allows for genuine connection and fosters a therapeutic environment built on authenticity and rapport while also allowing two humans to simply be humans with one another.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen the same profession or specialty?

Absolutely. It really is an honor and a privilege to walk alongside individuals as they confront challenges, heal painful wounds, embark on journeys of self-discovery, and carve paths toward fresh beginnings. Serving in this capacity is profoundly rewarding and not something I take for granted!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://austincitycounseling.com/
• Instagram: baileyvancleave_therapy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bailey-van-cleave-m-a-303a6882/

Image Credits
Misty Ranae