We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nathalie Savell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nathalie below.

Nathalie , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

Ever heard the saying “leap and the net will appear”? Thanks to my impulsive, detail-avoidant nature, I built up enough clients on the 6th working day of the week (while working 5 other days at a clinic) and pretty much as soon as I got my full license, quit my job and went for private practice. I met with many other professionals who had paved the way before me to figure out what the best ways to make this work would be. That was incredibly helpful, and I was always amazed at the generosity of time and wisdom that seasoned professionals were willing to give me. It goes to show the sense of community that therapists I think often have. I think key challenges were debating whether or not to go private pay or take insurance. Taking insurance gives you job security, you will never run out of clients, but you might well run out of bandwidth and emotional stamina. Going private pay involved a steep learning curve of marketing. I over-invested in a business coach who, despite learning a lot, also cost me way more money than was worth it at the time for where my business was at, I can now see in retrospect. I recommend young professionals get more business-savvy than I was when I first started when it comes to the financial piece- set your goals, work backwards from there, and do your budget! I learned a lot about running a business and taking care of my finances the hard way! Get mentorship and support in the areas that you know you need help with. Know your strengths and weaknesses. That’s my advice.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As a holistic psychotherapist and self-proclaimed personal growth addict, I truly believe you grow through what you go through if that is the path you choose when faced with life’s challenges. My most valuable specialties are areas of life that I have been through the trenches with personally, have gone through my own process with, and have then studied how to help others through similar circumstances. I work with stepmoms and step-couples to help clarify roles and expectations, create more confidence and connection, and navigate the complexities of blended family life. I am also passionate about the importance of therapists as a whole being sure to lead by example by doing their own personal growth work so that their issues do not interfere with their effectiveness to provide non-judgmental supportive and productive care to their own clients, which has led me to specialize in supporting therapists as well. I believe both of these specialties set me apart, because blended family help is not found in many places, nor discussed in a master’s program generally, and many therapists are intimidated to work with others in the field. I have also found support, healing, and clarity in the natural world and through intensive meditation and mindfulness study and practice, which has led me to now facilitating Nature Therapy groups for women focused on self-compassion, mindfulness, fostering meaningful connection, and intentionally reaping the benefits of a relationship with the Natural World.

Have you ever had to pivot?

At the time of the pandemic lock down, I was taking insurance, my daughter was 6 months old nursing around the clock, and my son was attending kindergarten at the public school. As an extreme extrovert now undergoing sleep deprivation this was not a good set up for my mental health. Clients were coming in nonstop; my husband and I were taking turns working, and I ended up seeing 25-30 clients per week. When I wasn’t seeing a client, I was taking care of the kids. After a while, with the combination of sleep deprivation and giving my energy to care taking others in every waking hour, I burnt out so hard I felt like a complete shell of myself. I’ve never felt so exhausted in my life. I still remember getting together with my women’s circle virtually, and barely being able to listen to my friends talk about themselves, and when it came to my turn all I could do was cry. I knew I could not go on in that way! Something had to change. I joined a program to help therapists get off insurance and start charging private pay. It gave me the practical steps as well as the emotional encouragement to make this big change. I took the course in one ear while holding the baby, cooking food, taking care of the things. That burn out led to a complete life overhaul. It led to where I am now – homeschooling my son, being a private pay therapy practice only, seeing half as many clients and still making a sustainable income. While the private pay set up of my practice makes me inaccessible for many people, it enables me to give my best energy to both my clients when I have them, and also as a mom to my kids. It supports me to be an active member of the homeschool outdoor school nonprofit board that my son attends as part of his homeschooling experience which I’m hugely passionate about. In addition, starting the Nature Therapy groups was something I did to help people connect towards the end of the lock down, in what was for many an awkward time of becoming social again. It turns out that my nature therapy is a way I can support people, teaching them skills and facilitating connection while also being energized myself. I love that I have a business that supports me energetically as well as financially, and that I get to do things I’m passionate about and pour so much into this short time of my children being young!

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

I think to be successful in my field, it’s important to do your own personal growth work! The more work you do on yourself, the more you learn about people. We are all the same, after all. The degrees of our experiences might be different, but our brains and bodies all work similarly – and so the deeper you can dive into your own psyche and the intricacies of how you work and what has impacted you, the better able you will be to understand other people and support them in the journey to uncover their own psyches. It helps to experience different modalities of healing as well, since talk therapy is not always the ultimate solution for healing, and often it helps to have something else in the mix. You want to be aware of your needs, and of what helps you, because that will help you better recommend and see the needs that others are having.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.upwardspiralwellness.com
• Instagram: @upward.spiral.wellness
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/natsav22
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-savell-608253169

Image Credits
Jessica DeLeon