Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Blanca Amaya. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Blanca, thanks for joining 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.

Deciding to leave my 9 to 5 corporate and secure job and take the risk of starting my own practice that had no guarantee to have success was extremely scary. I grew up in a household where it was encouraged and promoted to obtain secure employment, stay in a job for 30 years, and collect a pension. That was my origin plan and I worked hard to get that but I found myself unhappy, unfilled, getting burnt out, and wanting more. After having my baby, having different priorities, talking to friends that had made the leap into private practice, I decided to take the risk. I decided to bet on myself and I have been winning ever since. Oftentimes I think to myself, why didn’t I do this sooner! Why did I let fear and self doubt get in the way!

Blanca, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a first generation Mexican American private practice owner. I am a daughter of immigrants who decided to open her mental health practice to help POC first generation adult client’s heal from trauma, anxiety, and depression. I think what holds me apart from other mental health practitioners is that I focus not only on using evidence-based therapy models to help find the root of what is causing distress in folks’ lives but I also use alternative, cultural, and ancestral knowledge and practices to assist a client in their healing journey. I often find that using various methods assists me in helping folks heal in various ways. I am also a passenger in folks’ healing journey allowing them to take the wheel in their own journey.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I wouldn’t change anything about the profession I chose. I think what I would have done differently is started sooner and go with my initial gut and intuition to go into the helping profession.

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

Receiving EMDR ( Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) training and receiving consistent consultation in this area of therapy has made me a more well rounded therapist and allows me to be able to reach and help more folks heal. Consistently reading and attending trainings on certain topics or issues (inner child work, inner critic work, coping with immature parents as adult children, trauma ) that impacts folks I work with has also made me succeed in my field.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amayacounseling.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amayacounseling
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blanca-amaya-lcsw-88594b56/