We were lucky to catch up with Rita Hallaveld recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rita, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
In my early career as a social worker, I spent a lot of time working with families in a community based setting. This meant meeting in their homes, and spending time on-call for crises. I had all the security of a high-demand job, and had only to focus on the skills needed for providing quality therapy. There was a never-ending referral source. But I realized at that time, even without kids, that I was incredibly drained by the demands of the work and the schedule that was sometimes more than 40 hours a week. When the non-profit I worked for underwent some major structural changes and was absorbed by another agency, some key components my position as a supervisor changed. It was at that time that I decided to branch out to private practice. I declined the full-time salaried position I was offered and found a practice to join as an independent affiliate. It was the first time I was truly self-employed, making my own decisions as to the type of clients and challenges I’d work with, setting some of my own policies, and my own hours. The process of getting paneled with insurance took a few months longer than I’d anticipated, so financially it was a bit more of a risk. In the end, though, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made, as I’ve learned that the uncertainty of income is well worth the independence and flexibility in schedule. My quality of life has vastly improved even when I’ve had lower-income years, because I can craft my schedule around my capacity to do my best work without burning out.
Rita, 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?
Prior to becoming a coach, I spent over a decade as a licensed social worker providing mental health therapy services in a variety of settings. As a private practice clinician I was energized by seeing transformations in my clients’ beliefs about themselves and building skills– and it also became apparent to me how essential relationships are to individual well-being. I’m passionate about elevating relationships and building connections in a fragmented society. Drawing on my professional training as a therapist as well as my personal experiences rebuilding an entire social network in a new city, I help my coaching clients connect more deeply to themselves and those around them.
My free time is often spent in volunteer community building roles, so I’m able to help clients problem solve in ways that take into account all the ways we are connected to the world around us.
I’m able to see the big picture and how everything fits together in a way that allows me to help my clients get unstuck and build the quality relationships they crave- with others and themselves. One of my favorite things is to help someone think outside the box and find ways to meet their goals in all areas of their lives in the most efficient ways. There’s so much relationship advice out there– and not all of it is supported by data. So much of what I do is to bring what research shows is proven for our well-being, and help my clients create and implement a customized plan for their own lives.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Other than training/knowledge, something I think is often overlooked for succeeding in the fields of counseling and coaching is the ability to maintain boundaries that protect your time and energy. This goes beyond keeping a schedule that works for your family, and requires a strong skill set that includes self-awareness and emotional intelligence. There’s a difference between cognitive and emotional empathy, and this was something I really had to work to learn to apply early in my career. Those of us who want to help others can often be so focused on that goal that we don’t realize when we are operating in a way that isn’t sustainable– until we’re already burnt out.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
This is something I’ve wondered about quite a bit in recent years. It’s hard to say, because so much has changed for me over time. If I knew in college what I know now about the kind of environment and lifestyle that helps me thrive, I might have chosen a completely different path focused more on creativity in visual/physical spaces. But I’m still glad that I chose social work as my degree path, because it gave me a foundation that is flexible. The specialty of mental health counseling has given me a variety of experiences and skills that are transferable to my current coaching business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ritahallaveldcoaching.com
- Instagram: @rocksolidfriend
- Linkedin: Rita-Hallaveld
Image Credits
Photos taken by Brigette Rizzo Photography