Meet Tanya Alexander | marriage and family therapist, art therapist, and clinical supervisor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanya Alexander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanya, what do you attribute your success to?
Success is very individualized, and is unique to the individual who is behind the small business. My own path to experiencing success has unfolded over the course of many years. I’ve worked to overcome a lot of obstacles to get where I am at today. And, my journey to success continues to evolve. My dad once inspired me to not give up, even when I felt defeated. I have heard him say something to this effect when I stumble upon obstacles periodically. It is a reminder of just how supportive important people in my life have been. Similarly, I once had a clinical supervisor who asked me what my top three values were. Without much consideration, I answered: honesty, integrity, and fairness. Honesty and integrity go hand in hand. It is not easy to account for missed opportunities or oversights I have made. My clients and colleagues seem to appreciate it though. It is really hard to do the right thing, especially when it places you at a disadvantage by doing so. I have always been aware of societal imbalances and inequity, even as a child. This has really inspired me to level the playing field in terms of assuring a broad range of clients can access my services. I keep these values in mind when I think of success. Success isn’t necessarily tangible for me. It is living by my own values and morals.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have a very small counseling practice in downtown Grapevine, Texas. Wanting more flexibility to put into practice my own guiding principles of honesty, integrity, and fairness, I established my practice in the summer of 2020. This was incredibly difficult since I was only one year into a four year doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from Texas Wesleyan University. So, I had to get my practice up and running while simultaneously going to school full time. What I held onto was my vision of providing competent clinical services to a diverse clientele. One of the guiding principles of being a marriage and family therapist is nondiscrimination. When I state that I have a nondiscrimination policy, I mean exactly that. If my scope of practice and competence fits with the presenting issues of the clients who contact me, they are welcome. One lesson I have had to learn is in accepting limits and boundaries. I want to be helpful when I can be. So, when I cannot be as effective as I’d like, it is hard for me to accept it. That’s definitely a growth area for me.

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.
Downtown Grapevine has a lot to offer just about any time of year. Grapevine has branded itself as the “Christmas capitol of Texas”, and the majority of my friends and family would love looking at the Christmas lights. There are a ton of wonderful restaurants and small coffee shops around. There are also a lot of other small businesses along Main Street which are within walking distance of my office.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many individuals who have been impactful and have motivated me to pursue my passions and visions! This includes family, friends, colleagues, clients, and mentees.

Website: https://www.tanyaelisealexanderlmft.com

Image Credits
Portrait photo by my friend Francisca Covarrubias, Photo of tree is an example of an art therapy experiential (The art is by Tanya Alexander).