We were lucky to catch up with Beth Saylors recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Beth, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I have been practicing for almost 20 years, and imposter syndrome still creeps in. My advice to clients who experience this is to keep a list of your achievements and accolades, have concrete examples of success, and remember, your thoughts aren’t always telling you the truth. If only I always practiced what I preached! I am a perfectionist, and will often second-guess myself if something didn’t go exactly as planned. I try to quiet that doubting voice, and the voice who tells me I am not good enough, by reminding myself that everyone feels this way at some point, and all I can do is the best I can do.
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 grew up in Kinston, NC, a small town about halfway between Raleigh and the coast. I went to UNC-Chapel Hill and majored in Psychology, and then continued my education at East Carolina University, where I received my MA in Clinical Psychology. I got married to my wonderful husband and moved to Goldsboro, a town about 30 minutes west of Kinston. I worked in private practice for five years before opening my own practice, ENC Psychological Services, PLLC, in my hometown.
I put all the plans in motion for ENC while pregnant with the first of my two daughters. I waddled into doctor’s offices with brochures and sandwich trays, eight months pregnant, in order to market my company. I distinctly remember assembling furniture in the floor of the new office, exhausted from a sleepless night with a newborn. You could say I gave birth twice in a very short amount of time. After maternity leave, I went back to this new office, where I was the only therapist, as well as the office administrator and receptionist.
Since then, my office has grown to ten therapists, an office manager, and locations in Kinston and Goldsboro. We offer individual and family therapy, and I provide both therapy and psychological testing. We receive referrals from all over the state, but our focus is largely eastern North Carolina.
It is important to me that I have the highest caliber therapists, and I have minimal turnover. It is a common theme that people will develop a relationship with a therapist, just to have them leave the practice. A therapeutic relationship is a sacred relationship built on trust, and I will never lose sight of that. I want everyone who walks through the door of my office to feel safe and valued.
I strive to have a very well-run office and to be very approachable to my colleagues. I feel that our retention rates speak for the work environment I have tried to foster. I don’t ask anyone to do anything that I won’t do, and I try to lead by example.
In addition to being a therapist, and above all, I am a wife and mother. I can count on one hand the number of times in fifteen years I have missed a school or sporting event. I am lucky, with the flexibility of my job and the ability to set my own hours, that I can work around that. I am extremely fortunate to be married to a true partner, and we share the load and are in this together. He also works very hard and is involved in the community, so we understand each other and value each other’s careers and community endeavors.
I am active in my church, and serve on the local friends of the library board, and the Tryon Palace Commission, a state appointment by the Governor of NC. I love to cook, and balance that out with cycling, either on my Peloton or in the neighborhood. More on balance later!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Balance: Life is about balance. Pure and simple. You can’t work too much, but you also can’t play too much. There is a time, a place, and a season for everything.
2. Learn to set boundaries and focus on priorities: Do not over promise and under deliver. Recognize your limits. Your family and mental health will thank you for it. In therapy, I often ask people what is most important to them. I follow that up with the question, “are you showing yourself and others that that is important?” Pour into things that matter the most to you. The rest will work itself out.
3. Never stop learning: Always look for ways to enrich yourself, professionally or personally. There is so much to learn, and so many wise people in this world to learn from.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
I definitely got my work ethic from my parents. They started what grew into the largest independent Pharmacy chain in North Carolina. Like me, they opened the first store with a small child at home, in the hopes of continuing to grow. Many summers, beginning at a young age, I would stand on a step stool and operate the cash register. I would stock shelves and mop floors. I watched my Dad stand on his feet for nine hours a day, and would ride around with him as he delivered medications to nursing homes. I saw him not only work hard, but also make community connections that are so important. He has been a very close advisor to me as I began my business, and with business-based issues that have come up along the way. Of course, he couldn’t have done this without my Mother, who was a true partner, and everything they did, they did together. My mother passed away suddenly about a year and a half ago, and it has truly left a void, and forced me to practice resilience and be present in the moment, particularly when sitting with a client or at home with my children. It has also taught me to be thankful for each day I am given.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.encpsychological.com
- Facebook: ENC Psychological Services, PLLC
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/beth-saylors-b9363589
Image Credits
Casey Mozingo, Big Blue Couch Media
