We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Anderton recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Stephanie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

One of my most inspiring clients made a huge shift in their life a little over a year ago. They had seen other therapists and counselors before, but they felt like they never could make a good connection. At first, there was some hesitancy, but we dove deep into the difficult things that were hard to talk about. They felt stuck for the longest time, and we kept trying to set goals and create a plan. They had so many ideas but they were almost fearful to take the next step. They kept trying to decide if they should go to school, what major they should pick, if they were too old to go back, what if they don’t like it. It took a lot of pushing and I am sure there were times they left sessions annoyed with me, but they kept coming.

One day during session I asked, “Are you afraid of failing, or afraid that you will succeed?”. It struck a nerve but caused a lot of critical thinking and introspection for the client. Following that session, they started pushing their boundaries and testing how it made them feel. They settled on a degree major, and went back to college. There were a lot of ups, downs, tears and smiles. It was a huge adjustment but they never gave up on themself even when they felt unsure.

They got their sparkle back and started to feel more confident. I reminded them that it is okay to be different and not to hold themself back based off of societal expectations. They started changing their aesthetic to what they liked rather than what was expected. I have never seen such an amazing transition happen to someone, and I love seeing how much they have progressed. They are confident and happy. They are doing things that they want, and opening themselves up to new people. They still have bad days, like we all do, but I see many more good ones than before. I love to see how excited they are about their life now, compared to the dark place they previously felt stuck in.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Becoming a psychotherapist and addictions counselor was something that I had dreamed about but never thought it would come to fruition. I felt like my past was something that would have made things difficult for me to get into the industry, but it has become one of my greatest strengths. At first I had resigned myself to working in the medical field, but opposition and failure ultimately pushed me to pursue my dream.

I started my journey of recovery from substance misuse at the age of 28. I had been struggling with alcohol addiction and would abuse other substances while under the influence. I tried several times to stop using throughout my life but I was never able to find the support that I really needed. When I tried to get sober in my 20’s I was met with a lot of judgment rather than support which deterred me from continuing to try. Being young and trying to connect with individuals who were sober was difficult because there are not many people in recovery at that age. I have been sober for over 10 years now and try to connect with younger people who are early in sobriety to help them feel included. I wanted to be able to be the person that I needed early in my sobriety. Someone who could empathize with my experiences and not make me feel judged. A person that could encourage me and remind me of my self worth.

I work at Life Net Services LLC to help individuals with addictions and mental health struggles. The company provides medication assisted treatment for people with opioid addiction as well as mental health disorders. I started working with them as an intern in 2020 then a paid provider in 2021. I enjoy being able to help individuals who are struggling with substance use disorders because I have gone through it myself. It gives me a sense of pride to see others succeed and overcome their addiction and improve their lives. I have worked with Charlton Roberson to learn more about the recovery community and network with other providers. I also trained to become a SMART Recovery meeting facilitator and helped to establish a meeting at their agency which is still going strong.

I have been working with my mentor Jenny Massol for the past 4 years at Inspiring Change PLLC. The company is comprised of an eclectic group of therapists who are passionate about mental health. Each provider brings their own specialty to the agency. The business has expanded greatly and it has been providing more services for the clients being served. We have the ability to treat more populations that are at risk and underserved. I am very proud to be a part of their operation. It is refreshing to work with other providers who genuinely care about their clients and love what they do.
I am very invested in my client’s well being and I feel like that has made a huge impact in the success of my clients, They do not feel like they are being judged, and I try to create a comfortable environment for them to talk. I try to help my clients identify their strengths and encourage them to be the best version of themselves. There is no “formula” that works for every client, but I do my best to individualize treatment for each client.

Since I have been in the field, I have recognized how different populations struggle to get the type of help that they need. I noticed that there was a lot of stigma surrounding Cluster B Personality Disorders, specifically individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). I made it a point to specialize in that population, educating myself more about the disorder through seminars, presentations, and my own research. While I do work with individuals who have multiple mental health struggles, I have a high population of clients with BPD.

I am very proud of the work that I do and the accomplishments that I have made. I try to inspire others and reassure them that their past does not define their future. I feel like my job makes a difference in peoples lives, and it is very satisfying. I love seeing how far my clients have come, and reminding them they they are the ones who have done all the work, I am just their biggest fan.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I decided to go back to college in my 30’s to try and continue my career in the medical field. I already had my associate degree in Medical Assisting but hadn’t worked in the field for a while. I planned to pursue a degree in nursing, but it was required to be a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) to get into the nursing program. I took my academics seriously and had the highest grade in the class. When it came time for clinicals, I was told due to my background check, that I was not able to finish my schooling. My teacher vouched for me and I was allowed to complete the CNA course, thanks to her support. It was (rudely) suggested to me that I do not apply to the nursing program because I would not be accepted. My background check did not have anything outrageous on it and I had no felony charges. I was stupid in my 20’s and got into some legal trouble due to my struggles with alcohol abuse, but it had happened 5 years earlier. I had been sober for over 2 years at the time and active in my recovery, but it was not enough. I was disappointed in myself, my past choices, and I felt like giving up. I was treated very poorly by the nursing department director and judged for my mistakes. I felt worthless and like my past would always define who I was despite the changes I had made. I had to seriously contemplate my future and asked myself if I was going to allow someone to hold me back for my past. I decided, mostly out of spite, that I refused to be held back and chose to become an addictions counselor instead. My ultimate goal became to have nurses working for me, rather than being the nurse myself . I have always been interested in psychology and I wanted to give back to people who struggled with addiction like myself. Failing to be accepted into nursing school ended up becoming one of my greatest successes. I truly feel like I would not be as happy and fulfilled as I am now if things had gone a different way. I love what I do and I remind other people not to give up or let their past hold them back.

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

Being transparent and open with my clients has been the most successful way to connect. I help normalize things for them which provides them with a better connection. Many of my clients express that they feel like I genuinely care (which I do), and that they don’t feel judged. It can be difficult to find a therapist you connect with and it’s upsetting to hear the negative experiences some of them have had with previous providers. I am open and honest with clients about my personal experiences, which encourages them to have hope for themselves. My struggles with addiction helps me to connect with clients who are going through similar things. They feel safe to tell me the ugly “stuff” because they feel like I can empathize and they are safe to be honest. I am also very blunt with my clients and will call them out on their negative behaviors. Whenever I begin therapy with a new client, I inform them that I am going to ask hard questions and sometimes it will hurt their feelings. I remind them that if I am not making them question their own behaviors and changes they need to make, then we aren’t really doing therapy. I have been cussed out many times, but in the end they know they needed to hear it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://inspiringchangepllc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insp.iringchangepllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553321157787
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-anderton-620b04211
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@andertonsoftherapy https://www.healthgrades.com/providers/stephanie-anderton-4mrzbmy420 https://www.lifenetservices.org/