We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marie Ragona. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marie below.
Alright, Marie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?
It was a long and winding road to starting my private practice. Several years before I established it, I started thinking about it and even took some preliminary steps. At first, I was scared, nervous, and insecure because I learned how to be a therapist, not run a business. It was daunting and I gave up a couple of times. Two things helped me build my confidence- becoming a manager at a large hospital, and finding a mentor to walk me through each step to building a business. I worked for almost a decade at a job I loved that had no growth potential, so I moved on to a hospital that appeared to have some opportunities for advancement. I was about to be 34 and wanted to see my career grow beyond an entry level job before I turned 35. The management position did not make my soul happy, but it gave me courage to believe I could meet big challenges head-on and be successful. That’s when I decided to find a mentor and build my private practice. The best decision I made was starting small. I found an office share in my neighborhood (building on my dream to end commuting forever!) and rented it one night per week after work. As soon as those evening slots were full, I added another evening, and then another. After 6 months I had enough clients to quit my job and live my true dream as a successful private practice owner and therapist.
I do not see any way that I could have done anything differently in terms of building my practice. I took every piece of advice I could find, I networked like crazy with other therapists, I attended therapist meet-ups, and registered for every advertising site I could. Thankfully, with that effort and referrals from current clients, my business soared. My best advice is to stay hopeful, work on your dream every day, and don’t cross your own boundaries. The clients will come, and business will ebb and flow naturally.
Marie, 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?
I have always been interested in why people are the way they are. Growing up in my suburban Long Island Italian Catholic family as a granddaughter of World War II veterans was extremely impactful on me. I learned about trauma from an early age- war, addiction, domestic violence, shame, and emotional and financial abuse- and these were part of my story and the stories of my family. I became interested in both getting help and helping others. I was a creative child and when it came time to decide on a career path, I discovered Art Therapy and knew it was the journey I wanted to take. I help my clients explore their own personal histories, as well as the lore, traditions, and culture of their families, and how that impacted who they are and how they experience their mental health today. Using that as the foundation, I help them build concrete tools to heal and, in some cases, reparent themselves. Empowerment is a massive part of the therapeutic process, and I want my clients to feel they can provide themselves with everything in their power to be happy. I provide them with guidance and unconditional positive regard to support them through that process.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
About 10 years ago, before I started my practice, my training felt incomplete. Most of my clients, no matter their gender or sexuality, had experienced sexual trauma to some degree. Although I was never uncomfortable talking with them about sex in terms of safer sex practices or hearing detailed stories of their romantic lives, I wanted to obtain a more thorough knowledge base in sex and sexuality to help my clients with sexual trauma. I researched and chose an AASECT-Certified Sex Therapy training and completed the coursework and supervision it took to become AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist. The clients who reach out to me now are specifically looking to work on healing past trauma, healing their relationships with their bodies, wanting to understand their mind-body connection, and exploring pleasure alone or with a partner.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I’m happy to report that lots of my clients find their way to me because their friend or another therapist referred them to me. My curiosity, humor, and compassion are my biggest assets. I’m able to help people feel at ease so they can open up and be their authentic selves. I find people and their stories fascinating, and my curiosity helps to guide us through the conundrum that is their presenting problem to find the appropriate solution.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marieragona.com
Image Credits
ilitchpeters.com