Meet Christina Powell

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christina Powell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I am a Canadian born Caribbean woman. My ancestry is Indian, however, my parents come from Trinidad and Guyana. I believe to answer your question means to think about the ways that my cultural upbringing has impacted me, and then in fold how it helps me navigate being a therapist in private practice.

Being Caribbean taught me a lot about work ethic. I come from two hard working parents who made their way by being very independent and notably intelligent in their choices. I learned a lot about my work ethic from both parents.

There was a necessity in being independent, not only as the oldest child, but as a young girl in a new environment. We moved from Canada to Florida when I was 8, and like many children, I had to adapt. We had family in Canada, but not near us in Florida.

Now in present day, I own and operate a solo private practice providing therapy. To say I’m alone is an understatement! I run all hats right now, and that is a weird but familiar place to be. I am lucky in that nature that what my parents showed me was diligence. There was always a need to be diligent about what we did – and to do it well. I take that with me in all of my job roles. I feel I absorbed so much of my independence from my father, and from my mother I was gifted an innate intelligence that helps me to see what others need. I find that these qualities I am absorbed from them fuels me, even when its overwhelming, it still allows me to get the job done. That and anxiety! Anxiety certainly plays a role in my success – which I know some people who say “WHAT?” but it is a source of urgency that I am grateful to know how to handle and work with (most of the time, sometimes it is still anxiety in a paralyzing way but that is what therapy is for!).

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I have been a mental health therapist for close to 10 years now. I am licensed in Florida and Texas, and I work with those dealing with pregnancy & postpartum issues, anxiety, and working professionals. My typical client is someone who is returning from maternal/paternal leave after having their child and dealing with the anxiety of it all. The mixture of emotions that happen during that time are intense – many mother’s come to me feeling guilt and shame about the amount of time they’re expected to spend away from their children and families. Father’s come to me about their stress and the impact of providing for a family. There is also the topic of how to deal with working again after this life changing event, navigating the household needs, and the dreaded mental load of it all. Parents tend to see that there are a lot of systemic issues that impact them, but don’t know how to process through the impact of these systems and their own independent emotional states towards going back to work. I can help with that, and I’ve also gone through it myself. It is one of the hardest parts of life, and yet somehow we are all alienated from each other which makes us feel alone in this journey.

My practice aims to work with anyone through emotional challenges when they feel they cannot turn elsewhere, feel alone in what they are experiencing, and/or they need a safe space to talk through some of the thoughts they’d rather not share elsewhere. I think therapy can be a great place, without judgement, to vocalize the intense and overwhelming responsibility that comes with having a child in this day and age and in the United States. Not to leave out the working professional either – We are in unprecedented times regarding jobs and job security. I feel strongly tied to this because I have worked in numerous corporate environments, and understand the challenges that come with the greater and greater expectations of those roles.

I utilize numerous modalities to fit the individuals needs when they come to me for therapy. I aim to produce a warm and collaborative environment for my clients, so that they can work towards their goals in therapy, and graduate from therapy in a time where they can then trust their own selves to make healthy and balanced choices.

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?

Customer service skills – This is invaluable in my practice. I worked retail in my youth, and I have always been someone who anticipates others needs. I believe having some ample customer service skills helps me translate consultations into clients, and allows people to see positivity in their journey to therapy.

Altruism – This is personal to me, because it is in my nature to do so and I can understand does not always translate to others – but I like to give back to others even when it won’t come back to me. I believe in being helpful and thoughtful, and being altruistic fuels that part of me that wishes to ensure others don’t struggle in areas that I have in the past. If I can take my knowledge and help someone remove a challenge from their life, it is one of the best feelings!

Niching down – In the therapy world, it is so important to niche down in your practice and focus on an area of speciality. This helps your ideal client come to you and helps you to create a cohesive practice environment. You’ll stand out more doing something you’re passionate about, and it often helps you in many aspects of business as well – you’ll know who to market towards, how to brand better, and how to focus your energy.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed, which can be often as a parent of two toddlers, I find that I need to follow a few steps:

1. I need to shift the mood – no matter which negative feeling i’m experiencing, I want to shift away from that as quickly as possible. My top three ways to do this are – get some distance, listen to some upbeat music (sing it out loud if possible), and watch something humorous.

2. If it is an ongoing issue – problem solving brainstorm – you write down the problem at the top, and all the possible solutions. Strike out any unrealistic solutions. Then strike out anything you can’t control. You’ll be left with solutions in your control and you might be able to enact upon. The biggest point of this exercise is to go back to other solutions if the first one doesn’t work. There is typically a way out of a situation – we just have to think outside of the box!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mentalperktherapy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentalperktherapy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mentalperktherapy