We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gladys Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Gladys, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I believe my resilience is rooted in my spirituality and my true love for life and joy, the joy and wonder of being alive, the ability to see the beauty in the world. My faith also plays a significant role in my resilience and ability to face adversity.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an integrative somatic trauma therapist. A mouthful yes. I work for Washington University School of Medicine as a trauma therapist and advocate. I also have a private practice and consulting business and oh I teach counseling at Pepperdine University in Malibu California . I served 27 years in the United States Navy and was afforded many training opportunities around the world. This helped me grow as a therapist.
My brand is the heart giving from the heart with compassion and teaching clients to love self first. I use EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting and other modalities to work with clients. I treat veterans, trauma survivors, Clergy, Healthcare and those with Substance abuse/ Addiction. Relevant news- I have a book coming out in about 2 months Trauma Unbound. The book focuses on the lessons from the Navy that shaped my career as a trauma therapist. It reveals the key components of somatic psychology, EMDR and being a purposeful therapist and educator. I’ve spent my career in the military for over 20 years and another almost 20 in Higher education. The book includes key components of both areas. It entails my journey as an educator and clinician.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My memorable qualities rise from my late mom and my many years in the Navy:
1. Love the Lord and yourself
2. Respect people for who they are
3. Don’t give up
The book that comes to mind that influences me with is The 4 Agreements. It reminds me to be present, be true, and be available.
For those early in the journey find your passion and do what you do with, and from your heart. You are not like others, there is only one You
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents set boundaries for me, however they allowed me to explore my interests. The opportunity to explore science and go through my tomboy phase, playing baseball, tumbling, football and then dance and hiking and fishing and sewing- I made some great outfits even was in a few fashion shows
I do belief the most impactful thing from my parents was introducing me to reading and literature at a young age, trips to the library the great writers, the classics and most important, Black literature, poems and plays that revealed the beauty of being a Black girl with a rich history that I love and teach others about still today. It is helping me teach about racial trauma and its impact today. Another thing they taught me was to travel and explore the world and other cultures. We would go on vacations and see the world, fascinating!!!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gsmiththerapy.com
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