Meet Vikki Smyth

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Vikki Smyth. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Vikki below.

Hi Vikki, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?

When a lot of us think of the word “risk” we almost imagine a free fall or a jump, right? For me, it’s far more to do with “calculated risk” than it is to do with the free fall or jump mentality that we often have in mind. I tend to use the words “risk” and “creative” interchangeably. Pushing myself in regards to knowing my options logistically (the “calculated” part), and then being creative with them, has helped me feel more confident in my risk taking. I have never been an adrenaline seeker, which is often the persona that comes to mind when we hear “risk taker”, but I have always wanted to push boundaries creatively. When I am pushing myself creatively, and feeding that part of me, I tend to be taking more risks.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I have the honor of coming alongside folks as a Licensed Mental Health Therapist in Indianapolis, Indiana. My story didn’t start here though, I grew up in Ireland, came to the US for college and ended up calling this place home. There were so many different dynamics I observed growing up, that had me take an observing stance early. I grew up in the North of Ireland, raised by parents who had experienced the height of the conflict there. Quickly, the idea of there being one true perspective, or truth, was squashed. I was able to see that the world, and the people in it, as complex and multidimensional. Our perspective is our reality, and that impacts what is “true” to people. That upbringing continues to serve me in many many ways.

My path would ultimately lead me to owning my own therapy practice. I specialize in relationship therapy, sex therapy, and trauma therapy. I have recently been focusing on the relationship therapy piece. When we look at the statistics, our society has evolved and changed in so many positive ways, yet we see that our feelings of connectedness, and relationship issues, are staying stagnant, even declining in some ways. Relationships are key to mental health and healing, and yet they often take a back seat when it comes to people taking them seriously. Relationship health is a preventative measure for so many things; mental health, physical health, general life satisfaction etc. I am passionate about providing realistic and accessible interventions for folks who want to engage in meaningful and healthy relationships.

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. Honesty – First of all it starts with being honest with ourselves. I look back with so much regret on times where I did not choose what I wanted to do, but chose but I thought I should do. I was once told “the truth is hard, but it is healing”, we do a disservice to ourselves, and to others when we are not honest and transparent. One of the toughest parts of my job is when I have to “say the (honest) thing” , and sometimes it doesn’t go down well, but it ultimately leads to where it needs to. To be honest with others is not something to do flippantly though, it demands so much introspection beforehand to ensure it is coming from a healthy source.

2. Openness – Another quote, “you don’t have an opinion unless you’re open to change it”. I hate this quote by the way, mostly, because I love the idea of certainty, and this prevents me from getting that certainty. Look around, can you imagine if we were just a little more open? We don’t have to look far to see that close-mindedness is harmful on multiple levels.

3. Willingness – Very similar to openness. To me, openness is like insight and awareness, however if we don’t do anything with that, it all might be in vain. I see it so much in the therapy realm, it’s possible to have all the insight and awareness, yet not do anything with it. Willingness is the ability to do something about your openness. This is where action enters the field. We have so many intelligent and introspective people sitting at the side lines that we need jump in and be a part of the individual, and societal change we all need. This is where I need the biggest push, because to engage in action requires that we step into bravery, and vulnerability.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

I am really pushing myself to dream about creative ways we should be doing couples and relationship therapy. I often find that folks know the tools, and all the terms, but there is often a disconnect or missing piece. The relationship therapy space needs more creativity, thinking outside the box, and collaboration with folks in other spaces. I am constantly referring to financial advisors, nutrition coaching, childcare options, the list is endless! When we look at statistics about relationship dissatisfaction, we have got to do something about it, and make it accessible to people. I am fully aware that being able to engage in couples therapy, which is often not covered by insurance, is a privilege. Regardless of background, everyone is involved in some sort of relationship, and yet relationship education is out of reach for so many people. That has got to change.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rooted-therapyandwellness.com/
• Instagram: rootedtherapyandwellness
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikki-smyth-ma-lmhc-lpcc-s-cst-548185a0/

Image Credits

Headshots: Sarah Jehoiada De Rueda