We were lucky to catch up with Elaine recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Elaine, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
I was able to develop my confidence by being on stage. I’m a big music and singing lover, and over the years, I’ve challenged myself to practice being on stage even though I don’t like presenting in front of an audience. Growing up, I wanted to be in an advanced choir group called Chamber Singers. I ended up not making it into the group (I don’t recall why), but I sang a solo and I was asked to join the group!! After that, I continued challenging myself well into college by performing on stage with a dance group and in another choir. Like I mentioned, I never liked presenting in front of audiences, but I recently have been challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone. I presented in an undergraduate class at CSUF and I still continue to grow my confidence. Now, I’m thinking about adding speaking engagements to my services because why not? I survived.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m an LMFT in private practice in Brea, CA, specializing in helping children ages 4–12 and their families navigate anxiety, OCD, and trauma. I focus on strengthening the parent-child relationship to support meaningful progress, and I also work with adults facing similar challenges. My path to becoming a therapist was shaped by my parents’ divorce at age six and a negative experience with a court-ordered therapist, which drives my commitment to providing compassionate, effective care.
I have an anxiety journal for moms coming out soon! If you have an anxious child, the support they need to calm their nervous system starts with you as a parent. The journal includes opportunities for reflection on a variety of topics, like “what triggers you?” to “how you can you be gentler with yourself?” I’m very excited to add the journal to my own journaling routine, and of course, I’m excited for other moms to add it to theirs.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities that have helped me on my journey includes: mindset, grit and openness to fail. I have continued to learn and I won’t stop learning, so I’ve grown to be okay with failure. I would encourage others looking to pursue a similar career to work on mindset first. If your mindset doesn’t align with where you want to be, it can be harder to achieve your goal. For instance, if I keep telling myself, “Clients won’t find me” or “I’m not a good enough therapist” that’s not as beneficial as, “There are more than enough clients for everyone” and “I’m an amazing therapist. I’m not the right fit for everyone and that’s okay.” Having a positive mindset can get you very far, especially on those days when things get hard. Keep in mind, that just because I have a positive mindset doesn’t mean that I don’t struggle.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is someone who is done being held back by their fears, their worries or their anxiety, and they are ready to reclaim their life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.healingconnectiontherapy.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingconnectiontherapyoc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Healing-Connection-Therapy-Inc/61558925945540/?locale=ms_MY#
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@healingconnectionoc
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@healingconnectiontherapy
Image Credits
Personal photo taken by Eduvina at Oro Studio
www.orostudio.photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
