We were lucky to catch up with Jennifer Funaro recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jennifer thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?
I have learned a lot of lessons about myself and corporations from the previous positions I have held. I firmly believe that liking your job is 50% about liking what you do and 50% about liking who you work with. It is incredibly difficult to like what you do but dread interacting with your colleagues and clients and vice versa. When I reflect on my past experiences, my takeaways have been related to what I find valuable in colleagues and in a company. I value the ability to collaborate, make space for new ideas, and a willingness to learn from others. I really appreciate how each colleague comes with different perspectives and experiences. When I was just out of school, I approached my positions as if I was a student instead of a professional. It took some time, reflection and guidance from friends and colleagues to know how to assert my knowledge and expertise with in the company.
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 am a clinical psychologist and I practice in North Raleigh. I specialize in treating trauma, sleep difficulties, disordered eating, as well as anxiety and depression. I work best with clients who are wanting to understand more about themselves. I generally use a kind and firm approach to creating an environment where clients can feel safe to gain more insight into themselves and their internal experiences.
I didn’t have a direct route into psychology. I thought I wanted to pursue medicine. It wasn’t until I was working in a physical therapy clinic when I discovered the mind-body connection. I realized I was fascinated with the mind and how it impacts everything about us. I then started pursuing classes in psychology and ultimately my graduate work in clinical psychology.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
I would absolutely choose this profession over and over and over again. I do not regret the road that I took to get here, I wish I could whisper in my ear when I was younger to look into psychology. I love that I get to sit with people and make a difference in their life. I get to witness the nuances that exist inside each of us – strength, vulnerability, courage, longings. I feel incredibly privileged to be with individuals in each of these experiences. I am also motivated by learning and growing, which is certainly a requirement in my field. I have a curiosity in me that drives me to keep learning so I can understand other’s better.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
There are two things that have helped me succeed in my field besides the training I had in graduate school. One is receiving help in understanding the world of business. After graduation, I was proficient at being a therapist, but I had little to no knowledge on how to run a business. I needed seasoned colleagues to come along side me as mentors and advocates. There are a lot of additional ethical considerations that need to be made in private practice as a clinician as compared to many businesses that do not need to be HIPAA compliant – from wording, to not causing harm – I needed help in navigating this process.
The second thing that has helped me succeed has been knowing myself – my needs, my limitations, my strengths, etc. This is an ongoing process as I continue to grow in my field and in life. I do this by reading, pursuing continuing education, speaking regularly with colleagues, and supervision.
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