Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natalie Kusturic. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Natalie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you recount a time when the advice you provided to a client was really spot on? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

As a therapist I am constantly seeking ways to help clients see themselves and their lives through the lens of the present rather than the past. This is a challenge for those who face anxiety daily. I had a client who had extreme anxiety. Every morning he woke up fearful of what could go wrong. Despite his anxiety he had a successful career and was in a loving relationship. However, his anxiety blocked his ability to see the good in his life. It was as if he acknowledged all the positive elements of his life they would disappear. Through our work together we discovered he had experienced and learned as a child that when he would get excited about an accomplishment his parents would respond in unpredictable ways that scared him. My client held onto this old story as an unchangeable fact and wanted to hold onto it. It kept him safe and in control. I wanted to help him find a new way to think about his anxiety. I told him that his anxiety was a useful tool in his life. The anxiety he felt alerted to him to tasks he needed to accomplish, allowed him to examine how he showed up in relationship and improve if he needed. I told him every time you have a repetitive thought and your heart rate goes up it is your body’s way of communicating to you that you need to pay attention to what is happening and to take action on it. He began to see his anxiety as a to do list. The things he could take action on he did and he began to notice his business was flourishing and waking up was getting a little easier. He began to feel more in control of himself as he learned to use his anxiety as a tool to help him grow and evolve as a person.

Natalie, 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?

Psychotherapy, for me, is the creative practice of guiding others to remember who they are before past trauma convinces them otherwise. The study of psychology, and wellness in general, has been a very personal journey. I spent years quietly observing myself and others, eager to understand the source and manifestations of joys, pains, perceived limits, and motivations. I was naturally curious and driven to learn why do some people suffer through life while others appear to move through troubles with ease. Through my career I have learned how early childhood experiences and the stories we tell about ourselves impact our present and our future. I work with my clients to recreate the story of their lives through developing new stories, identifying old patterns of relating that keep them stuck and develop a new version of who they are in the present. I mainly focus on people dealing with anxiety, depression, divorce, life transitions and relational problems. I believe problems occur to assist a person to experience who they are and reveal hidden parts of themselves. For example, if you are deeply sad, withdrawn, and hopeless these are signs there is an unexpressed or repressed part of yourself asking for your attention to be healed. Our emotions are the gateway to a deeper understanding of who we are and are essential to healing and becoming our authentic selves.

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

The hardest lesson I had to unlearn was that it was best to listen and not speak. In my early years I had been quieted numerous times when I was sharing a story or exploring an idea. I began to believe that what I had to say wasn’t important. This was really hard to unlearn and I am still working on it. The belief I had nothing worth saying kept me off of social media, stopped me from telling people about my business and even interfered in my personal relationships. When I realized if I didn’t get past this belief I wasn’t going to be able to grow my business or reach the people I wanted to help. I jumped into action and started to face my fears. I signed up for networking events and practiced standing up in front of an audience and sharing who I am, what I do and what I want. I literally had to force myself to post on social media and share information. It was extremely hard to do and uncomfortable. Each time I forced myself to act beyond my old beliefs I would become fearful and dread what will others think or worse say about me. Over time I learned it was safe to be myself and share my views even if others didn’t agree. Actually, a strange thing happened I began to enjoy getting criticism from others. It opened me up to new view points and helped me to expand my views and challenged my thinking. I am incredibly grateful I chose to face my fear so I could find my voice and become more myself.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

If you want to succeed you must be passionate about what you do. I am passionate about people. I love learning the nuances of human behavior and how to shape our reality through thoughts, feelings and behavior. The knowledge is helpful but it does not work alone. In my work I have learned to love what it means to be human and how difficult and beautiful the human experience is. I feel privileged to be present for the human being in front of me. I get to experience first hand how a person can transform when they are met with an open heart and non-judgment. I grow in passion and purpose each time I see the human in front of me allow their emotions to teach them and transform them. We all have the ability to become who we are meant to be when we are willing to sit down and face with courage the hidden parts of ourselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nataliekusturic.com
• Instagram: @NatalieKusturic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkusturic

Image Credits
Photos by Caitlin Elliot