We had the good fortune of connecting with Empowered Healing Dallas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brittany & Danica, what principle do you value most?
Our practice began under one guiding principle- All of you is welcome here. We both worked in systems prior to starting our own practice and one of the struggles we faced while working in these settings is that we felt our own humanity and the humanity of our peers and clients was often limited or overlooked. Namely, we felt like only parts of us were accepted and we knew that if only parts of ourselves as staff members were accepted, then only parts of our clients would be welcomed into the therapy space. We wanted to create a work environment that had a foundation of safety; one that was open to constant feedback and reflection without defensiveness. We wanted people who came to us for therapy to know that they are their own expert and that their truth and entire being would be seen, valued, and accepted while they embark on their healing journey. Being a trauma-informed practice means that we are inclusive of all identities, contexts, and dynamics. When someone feels that their entire being is welcomed into therapy, they are able to soften and open up to change. We believe that our shared humanity is the thing that clients benefit most from even when there are vast differences in our lived experiences. While our training and continued education led us down this path, we believe that it is our ongoing consultation with our peers, learning from our clients, and continued reflection and personal development practices that actually help us to be most equipped to work with those seeking our services. All of you is welcome here starts with us, which allows us to easily extend that philosophy to our clinical work and consultation services as well.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We have a group practice in Dallas, TX and we serve clients all over the state through teletherapy. While there are countless group practices to choose from we pride ourselves on our commitment to trauma-informed, inclusive, and safe practices. Our team has grown so much over the past year and it’s been exciting to continue to learn from and connect with therapists from all sorts of training backgrounds, at different stages of development, and who vary in their lived experiences and identities. We are proud of our growth because it means that we’re better able to serve our community. Getting started was both one of the easiest and hardest things each of us have ever done. What began as a conversation and an idea to create our own work environment was quickly met with the struggles most therapists face when they venture into private practice. Most training programs do not cover anything related to business development or private practice so the learning curve is really steep. Once we determined what we didn’t know we got to work finding our answers. In less than 3 months we were ready to open our doors. Brittany and Danica officially started Empowered Healing Dallas in January 2019 and now our team consists of 12 therapists and a practice manager.

Some of the lessons we’ve learned: Running a business is hard work and you need to set time aside each week for the unexpected things that come up. We are both in a process of adjusting our workload to account for the additional tasks associated with a growing practice. Another evolving lesson is learning what can be outsourced. We have our hands on everything in the practice which has been really fun and also very time consuming. Generally, we are so excited about what we’ve created and how it continues to grow and nourish us that we sometimes have to be intentional about slowing down and attending to our needs as well.

Our therapy practice is linked with Danica’s professional Instagram page @theempoweredtherapist which started in May 2018. Through the process of creating content and connecting with folx online Danica was able to see a need for trauma-informed resources that extended beyond just the therapy room. Together, Danica and Brittany were able to build the practice with a shared message of empowerment. When people feel central to their own lived experience and validated by themselves and others, they feel empowered to make change, and both Empowered Healing Dallas and @theempoweredtherapist share this message and value.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Dallas is a fun place to eat and shop. There are tons of neighborhoods with their own vibe and energy to choose from and some of the best food we’ve ever had is really close to home. Brittany and Danica both enjoy a patio with a cool breeze, filled with people watching, a tasty beverage, and lots of laughter and connection. The shopping scene is also no joke- we have lots of great malls and shops in every area of town. A good time with an out of town visitor would likely include a walk on one of Dallas’s city trails, Brittany enjoys the Katy trail- just go early because Dallas is hot many months of the year. There would likely also be a festival or art show to visit as Dallas proper and most of the suburbs have great farmer’s markets and outdoor events throughout the year. Of course there would need to be a night out to a fun Dallas restaurant, something like Smithy or Meddlesome Moth, and an easy going Sunday morning brunch that is likely to last until late afternoon. One of our personal favorite spots is Danica’s house because her charcuterie boards are unmatched!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We both owe many people recognition in our journey. First, we need to shoutout to our former therapists, the ones who helped us to personally feel the value of safe mental health treatment. Through our own healing journeys we were able to experience first hand how valuable person-centered therapy can be. Our own transformations propelled us into this field and our continued healing support helps us to feel grounded while we hold space for others. We both also feel continuously impacted by our clients: their strength, vulnerability, and desire to heal. We will often say to each other, “Wow, this work is really something, we have the coolest job.” Of course, being a therapist is emotionally challenging work and getting to have a front row seat to someone’s change process is one of the greatest rewards we could ask for. Watching someone be gentle with themselves, cut themselves some slack, learn to speak kindly to the parts of them that are hurting- now that’s the good stuff. Finally, we want to shoutout to one another! We are there for each other in the ways that really matter. We support each other’s passions and genuinely want to grow together. We check our egos and allow ourselves to be impacted by the variety of feedback we have for each other. We have different strengths that partner so well together. Brittany is empathic, understanding, and thoughtful. She takes time to consider all of the factors at play in any scenario. Danica is assertive, warm, and decisive. She can make quick moves when necessary. Together, we make a really good team!

Website: www.empoweredhealingdallas.com

Instagram: practice @empoweredhealingdallas Danica’s professional IG @theempoweredtherapist

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