We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelsey George a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kelsey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
When I graduated college at age 22, I faced the existential question most of us do: Who do I want to be when I grow up? I found myself following a college roommate to live in Colorado, with no career plans or source of income. Yoga, the only hobby I was truly passionate about at the time, led me to sign up for yoga teacher training. YYT was the healing experience I didn’t know I needed. From YTT, I dyed my hair red, got a nose ring and a few tattoos, and I found myself on meditation retreats and dabbling in spiritual, psychedelic experiences. When my roommate had the courage to sit me down and give me the “I think you suffer from anxiety” talk, I signed up for therapy.
When we cease to feel anything at all, we lose track of what causes us pain, and why. Therapy is about exploring and feeling that pain. It teaches us to get to know it, rather than to run away from it. I didn’t understand my own pain for a long time, and when I started to move towards it, my life changed. This process is not about hearing advice or explanations on how to combat your troubles, it’s about diving deep in the raw, unfiltered experience of them. That’s precisely what therapy was for me — a deeply transformative experience that forced me to look into the mirror. Even when it got hard, I kept looking.
Fast forward through five years of school, and now as a doctor and a professor, I sit with clients during their reflective experience. While I traded in the nose ring and red hair for a blazer and trousers, all the previous parts of me remain within. I’m passionate about helping others expand their emotional vocabulary, learn the art of emotional regulation, and uncover the profound layers of their own being. My commitment lies in guiding individuals through the different pathways of healing, and empowering them through the fusion of philosophy and psychology. My mission is clear: to help contribute to a more mentally well society through the art of healing, wellness, and reflection.
Kelsey, 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 the sole entrepreneur behind My Therapist Kelsey, which specializes in relationships and interpersonal dynamics. I am also an affiliate faculty member at Regis University, where I teach in the counseling and family therapy master’s program. I teach and lead group, which focuses on interpersonal processes. I teach my students how to move towards healthy confrontation and what effective delivery looks like in real time, experimentally with one another, and then I teach them how to facilitate that interaction with others.
While most therapists are agreeable in nature and focus on validation, I pride myself on being directive and a challenger. While validating feelings is sometimes necessary, it’s even more important to examine, explore, and acknowledge why those feelings exist and whether they might be problematic. My work with clients and students is not always comfortable, but if we stay seated in comfort, we end up living more uncomfortable lives. True growth happens when we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
It is imperative for therapists, counselors, social workers, and psychologists to continue to do the deeper work on ourselves to show up authentically for our clients. How can a therapist treat anxiety if we are secretly suffering from our own? The journey of self-reflection rewards many successes. Us therapists are held to a high standard, and we should be. We should practice what we preach. How we show up personally affects how we show up professionally.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The biggest pivot I have made in my career thus far has been leaving my former group practice and starting my own. In group practices, therapists are severely underpaid. But most therapists stay, because they need the referrals that the group practices bring. Going off on your own is intimidating, and most therapists cannot afford the financial risk. However, to all the therapists out there contemplating on whether to make the jump, do it!
If you are underpaid, leave. Creating an LLC is only a few hundred dollars and in our new virtual world, office rent is an issue of the past. Additionally, therapists no longer need to pay for billing services with mental health technology platforms available now, such as Grow Therapy and Headway. One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to feel like you are truly getting compensated for good work. While we should be advocating for accessible care, we should also be advocating for ourselves.
Now, when I make decisions like what hair dresser to choose, I try to be mindful to support small business. I make as many referrals as I can, because I have experienced all the vulnerabilities of being on your own. I purposely find the one man shop. I try to partner with other small businesses. I spread the word to my community.
There are a lot of frustrating aspects to being a therapist: getting paid hourly, being underpaid through insurance, dealing with unexpected crises. But it is also one of the most rewarding careers we therapists could have chosen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mytherapistkelsey.com
- Instagram: @kelseygeorgehewitt
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mytherapistkelseygeorge/
Image Credits
@jenniferalysephotographer