We recently connected with Katrina Flores and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Katrina, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear stories from your time in school/training/etc.

It’s interesting because every time I have enrolled in college or training programs, I have simultaneously battled through a very rough difficult time in my life. Looking back though I think it really gave me the full training experience to prepare for this career path in that I had to learn to practice what I was learning along the way. I had to learn to implement things like self-care, boundaries, going to therapy myself and even getting on medication for example to stay healthy and sane while also taking classes, reading and homework and all the things. I walked out of each experience with both academic and real life curriculum being learned.

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 the owner of and sole provider at The Verve, a private Counseling practice based in San Antonio serving adults anywhere in Texas via Telehealth. I specialize in stress management, relational wellness and empowering individuals as they exit one stage of life and enter into another.

One of the unique aspects of my practice is that I am also a 200 hr Registered Yoga Teacher and Certified Ayurvedic Wellness Coach. I blend all three worlds and training to provide a very multi-dimensional way of working with people.

One of the things I am most proud of in terms of the work I do and how I run this practice is being a safe, inclusive and decolonized space. I work with so many amazing people from a variety of spiritual beliefs and practices, relationship structures and gender identities and I am honored to be safe space for them.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

In this field, as in many others, it’s really about building relationships. Academics, trainings, reading, learning techniques and such is all held in place, ultimately, by how you interact with and treat other people. Whether that be other professionals in the field, the people you hold space for and support or even those that inquire for the first time about your services, the relationship and human to human, heart to heart interaction is what really drives people to trust you enough to either refer someone to you or schedule with you.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

For a good amount of time I was fed both personally and professionally the idea that as a Counselor I had to show up, externally especially, in a certain way. There was this sort of criteria taught at the time of what a Counselor should look, talk, dress or even show up on social media like. Along the way, with two decades now of experience and entering my 40s I had to unlearn that. Because, this field, the people we show up for, need a human. A real, raw, authentic human. I had to learn to be myself and be ok with being a perfect fit for some and not so much for others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.thevervecounseling.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevervecounseling?igsh=MXI2em4zYXUxNjdnYg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits

Brittany Paul Photography
Wayfarer Photography