We were lucky to catch up with Shane Hennesey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Shane thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

I had finished up a practicum at a community mental health organization in 1992. I had no idea of what to do next and no plan. I literally was leaving it up to the Universe to guide me. I just had no idea what I was doing and no internet to help me figure it out. I look back now and the ignorance really was bliss.

As I was getting ready to exit the practicum, one of the counselors was retiring and his position opened up. That felt like the sign from the Universe I needed at the time, so I applied.

With a ton of nerve and enough ignorance to just believe in myself for no particular reason, I interviewed and got them job!

Shane, 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?

I’m a 53-year-old gay man who has been out for over 30 years. I am a Buddhist. I am a nerd. I am a cisgender male. I have anxiety. I have at times had depression. I am a therapist. I have been a client. I have a sense of humor.

The world is made of stories. Above I listed some of mine.

I’m a 30 year veteran of the psychotherapy field. I spent most of my years working in the LGBTQ community. I have a passion for working with my tribe and did this both in the non profit and private settings of Houston.

I work these days in private practice largely by telehealth for anyone in the state of Texas. Covid really trained us all to acclimate to video calls and I mostly continue this practice.

My practice focuses on trauma, both simple and complex, anxiety, and LGBTQ issues. I work in the modalities called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). I help people sculpt the life they want with grace and compassion.

When our stories paint us into a corner we get anxious, addicted, generally unhappy, etc. It is completely possible to write new stories. It is possible to read new stories. It is possible to switch plot lines. And a lot of times all that needs to happen is to shift our relationship to our stories and take our power back: zoom out the microscope, start a new chapter, find your superpower.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Boundaries. Boundaries. Boundaries.

It can be so scary to say no to things when you really want your business to succeed. This leads to choices and decisions that lead to your batteries being drained (or your finances). However, I found that every time I let my boundaries lapse, I got more anxious and worn down. It’s a quick road to burnout if not managed.

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way by taking on clients I should have said no to right from the start. I’ve learned this lesson by getting overly excited and invested in someone who said they could help my business. (usually around marketing where I’m weakest in skill). I’ve learned this lesson from over committing my time until I’m exhausted.

I am not good to myself or the people I server when I’m exhausted and emotionally drained.

Boundaries. Boundaries. Boundaries…even when it hurts.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

Yes. The difference I would make, however, is I would have waited later to do it. I had precious little life experience and this did not serve me as a young counselor. I feel so much better in my 50’s as a counselor than I ever did in my early 20’s. I feel More effective and efficient in my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thestressdojo.com
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