We recently connected with Katie Poland and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie , 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.

It was 2017 and I was completely burned out. Not that I did not love my job or the clients we served. But it was grueling work, with long hours, a long commute each way, and with very little pay. I knew I needed to make a change if I wanted to keep my own mental health in check. After much consideration, I took a very big risk: I quit with no other job lined up.
This is unusual for me. I’ve never quit a job with no other option in front of me, and with no financial safety net in place. I’m a fairly cautious person who likes to have a plan for the future. But this was different: I needed to take care of myself, and I needed a big change. I did not want to be stuck in fear, or trapped by the financial grind of adulthood. So I took three months to rest and pour into my relationships (and scrape by on a dime), and then I launched my private practice full force. I had never been a business owner and did not think of myself as very ambitious or entrepreneurial. But I discovered, through the power of necessity and also excitement, that I LOVED running a business and working for myself. My practice flourished and within six months was full. I spent countless hours networking, taking people out to coffee, interviewing therapists who had started their own private practices from scratch, and leaning into supervision groups. In some ways, because I had no other job lined up, it freed me to devote myself to this new ambition. In other ways, I found great joy in taking this risk on myself and believing against the odds that I could do this, even though it was a brand new set of skills. I opened two offices simultaneously, trusting that they would fill up. And they did! I’m so grateful to all those who supported me in this new adventure.

Katie , 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?

Absolutely. I am currently a licensed marriage and family therapist, and I run my own private practice in Los Angeles and Alhambra, CA. I specialize in working with young children 0-5 years old, their parents, and families. I also work with individual adults, couples, and teens. I am certified in Restoration Therapy, which I use mostly with adults and couples. I prefer a warm and collaborative approach, as we process past trauma and ways in which negative coping patterns have kept my clients trapped in the same cycles of pain. I like to help them break free of those painful cycles and gain empowerment, so they can make mindful choices in their relationships and personal lives.
I am also certified in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, which helps kids with behavioral problems and their parents rebuild a stronger attachment and resolve the destructive patterns that create negative behavioral reactions. I also offer more traditional play therapy for children with all kinds of struggles. My joy is to bring healing and hope to families that have struggled alone for too long and felt that their family challenges were too difficult to overcome.
Something that sets me apart is that I really believe in my clients’ ability to heal and grow. I’ve watched in awe as clients have overcome incredible obstacles and found ways to heal and flourish through their suffering, and realized they were stronger on the other side. Our society constantly tells us to “escape” pain and avoid it. But there are ways of actually facing our pain and making meaning out of it that lead to deeper growth and connection.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I was given great advice by a colleague when first starting my practice: “Every other clinician is your friend.” I took this to heart, and have collaborated with other clinicians in all kinds of ways. Viewing other therapists in my area as potential colleagues and referral sources is the opposite of competition. Rather than taking a scarcity mindset, I decided to take an abundance mindset. There are plenty of clients for every therapist out there, and I am always happy to make connections and even refer potential clients to other good clinicians. Spreading goodness and care always benefits us, and it has paid off. Other therapists frequently refer clients to me, and we all help each other out, so our businesses grow together. It’s pretty much the opposite of capitalism and competition. Now I have a reputation as someone who loves to share contacts, referrals, resources, and pretty much anything else to help others.

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

Absolutely. I love what I do, I am passionate about helping people, and I have found my home. I love working for myself but also finding ways to go above and beyond to help others, even if they don’t become my clients. I think being a good therapist brings a lot of hope to people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://katiepolandtherapy.com/

Image Credits

The Light and Glass photography