We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mara Richman Czegel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mara below.
Mara, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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.
When I was 20, I moved to Budapest, Hungary. I had never been abroad before, but something drew me to seeing the world. I went to study abroad initially in a psychology program, thinking 6 months would be enough to satisfy my needs of seeing other cultures. Six months later, I was hooked. I couldn’t get enough of being an outsider and learning how different but yet beautiful other cultures are than I grew up in. While in Budapest, I traveled weekly to other European countries – Sweden, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Ireland, Greece; I wanted more. The landscapes of all these places were beautiful but they were not what I wanted to see. Seeing other cultures allows you to question the world and make marked change in who you are not only as a person but as an individual in this ever-changing world. You can be whoever you want to be despite the culture you grew up in. After going the first time around, I was selected to go back to Budapest after college as a Fulbright scholar (a US Department of State scholarship) to do research abroad. My research focused on personality disorders and how those who have been diagnosed with them see the world. As a psychologist, I’d wanted to see how mental disorders also were different in the world. I traveled a-lot, presented my research, and at the end of my year abroad, planning to move to California for a Doctorate in Psychology, I couldn’t leave. I still needed to see more and feel more. I stayed for my masters and PhD in Budapest; after 5 years in total abroad, I moved back to the US. The risk was by far the best I took. I learned through this that though I had initially wanted to be a researcher, I wanted to directly engage with clients by being a therapist. I expanded this to opening my own company – Ember Psychotherapy Collective- where the therapists I hired and myself work with individuals from other cultures.
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 background and context?
I am a psychotherapist and practice owner, providing individual and couples therapist to those residing in Colorado. I provide in-person individual and couples therapy in the Denver Highlands and telehealth therapy to any individual in Colorado. I am also a group practice owner of Ember Psychotherapy Collective; I have five therapists in my practice at this point and we all have differences in our therapeutic styles and viewpoints. Our practice is a boutique practice that is person-centered, meaning we are a collaborative team that works what is best for the client. We also offer evidence based- and trauma based- therapy services to our clients depending on needs. Our therapists work with anxiety, depressive disorders, trauma, domestic abuse/ violence, narcissistic abuse, women’s issues, shame, self-esteem, family dynamics, premarital/ marital issues, infidelity, stress, and more. Our modalities are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, Multicultural therapy, trauma-focused therapy, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). For couples therapy, we work from a psychodynamic and emotion-focused (EFT) perspective. Our couples therapists also work with expats and cross-cultural psychotherapy. We offer therapy in English, Spanish, and Hungarian.
Any advice for managing a team?
I recommend business owners to be open to new experiences and team members’ varying opinions. Though others may have different views and ideologies, it does not mean that they are there to change or make things different negatively; they are there to help you grow and change. I treat the therapists in my practice as team members who I can learn from. That allows me to learn how to change to be a better business owner as well as to be a better person and therapist.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Growing up I was repressed in my views and individuality. Though I wanted to be who I was/ make a lasting impact on the world, the true reality of growing up in a home of instability and untreated mental health in family members can really affect a child. I took that sadness, anger, and strength as a way to make lasting change for those around me. I was the first of my family to get a college degree, get a masters degree, get a PhD, and make changes as a therapist. I took that and created resilience and went to help others work through that same type of resilience.
Contact Info:
- Website: emberpsychotherapycollective.com
Image Credits
Richard Edens richardedens.com