We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Allie Wojcik a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Allie with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I like to think that I get my work ethic from my mom and I am very proud of it. My work ethic is something I have carried job to job since I was 16. I’ve worked multiple jobs in different areas and one thing remained consistent – the value I put into my job. The same energy I put into my job at 16 is the same energy I put into my career.
Growing up, I watched my mom work really hard at her career. My mom works and has worked in health care for my entire life. I would visit her at work after going to a doctor’s appointment or sometimes my sisters and I would go with her to her office when she had extra work she needed to get done on the weekends. It was impressive to see her in her environment, with her co-workers and watch how each person not only respected her, but loved her. It was easy to see at a young age how much she cared about her job, her staff, and her peers.
My mom worked a lot. She worked long hours. Out of the house at dawn and not home until it was dark out. As a child, it bummed me out how often she worked sometimes. I could see how much it took over her life, even if she enjoyed it. As I got older, I realized that to her it was worth it, because it made her feel good. It made her feel accomplished and it gave her purpose. I think that’s a big reason I am able to put so much into my career as a mental health therapist, because it gives me purpose. On the other hand, as I got older, I realized there was one thing I wanted to do opposite of my mom. I wanted to have work-life balance. I don’t fault her for having to come home after a long’s day of work and continue to work at the kitchen table. It’s what happens when you lack boundaries and don’t get me wrong – I do the same thing she does. I am constantly trying to find what boundaries are appropriate in my field and give myself the same work-life balance I preach to my clients about.
People joke that my mom and I are work-aholics. I can’t deny that we are, but we are both learning how to find that balance. It’s incredibly important to understand it’s not about how many hours you put in at a job, but how you show up, act, and the effort you give while you on the clock. I learned that in my career, to be able to show up for my clients, I have to also show up for myself. I have to take care of myself, devote time to self-care, rest, and live my life. When I learned to implement that, I learned that it made my work ethic even better.
My work ethic is something I am incredibly proud of. I am dedicated to my career, to my clients, and to breaking the mental health stigma. In the same breath, I am dedicated to myself and giving myself what I need to be able to walk into my office each day and provide the safest space for those to be vulnerable with me. Younger me, who watched her mom be seen as reliable, kind, dedicated, smart, and as a leader, would be so proud of who I am today and that I am seen in the same light by my peers.
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 always knew I wanted to be a mental health therapist. I grew up battling depression, anxiety, and self-harm and I always felt so alone. I wanted to be the person I needed back then, for others. I got my undergrad in psychology and went on to receive my masters in clinical mental health counseling. I am currently in my provisional licensure post grad and will be able to apply for full licensure later this year. It’s a long process but it’s been worth it.
I work at a private practice and non-profit in Kirkwood, Missouri called Diversified Health and Wellness Center. I started here during my internship and have stayed on ever since. It’s a company I have so much respect and passion for. You know how you here a lot of people say something along the lines of, “I’d love to go to therapy, but I can’t afford something like that?” – Diversified Health and Wellness Center is all about proving that phrase wrong. It is no secret that therapy can cost an arm and a leg, but at Diversified Health and Wellness Center we work hard to be able to offer free to low cost counseling to those who need it. Our providers work on a sliding scale. Our owner and director, has always preached to our clients that we don’t want money to be the reason you don’t receive help.
Not only do we provide low cost counseling, we are very focused on giving a safe space to everyone. No matter your race, socioeconomic status, sexuality, identity, religion, etc. – We have a place for you here. I work a lot with the LGBTQIA+ community, especially transgender clients. I have been hosting an Adult Transgender support group for 2+ years and it brings me so much happiness. The LGBTQIA+ community holds a special place in my heart and I love being able to provide a safe space, where they don’t need to question how they’ll be treated.
And the center is also about helping future therapists become amazing, kind therapists. Diversified Health and Wellness Center takes on practicum and internship students during their time in graduate school and helps them grow into their potential. I spend a lot of times with these students as I have also taken on the role as the intern coordinator at Diversified Health and Wellness Center. I think being here at the same practice where I started out as a nervous intern and now nearing the end of my provisional licensure onto full licensure, gives me so much perspective that I am able to offer them what I needed back then. The people that work at this center are so incredible and are equally devoted as I to helping people in the area.
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?
I think the three most important things to me are empathy, compassion, and boundary-setting. It was always important to me to be able to put myself in another’s shoes. I found it important for my own understanding to try to understand where another person was coming from, what they were feeling, and maybe why they reacted that way. When you grow up surrounded by someone where you had to read their emotions to protect yourself, you unfortunately become skilled in the empathy area. On the other hand, gaining this skill fortunately benefits me in my career and in my life. Compassion is another area that has gone hand in hand with empathy. I think it’s important to know that everyone is going through something. Life is tough and can be unfair. Usually, we wake up, put on a brave face, and tackle our day. You aren’t always going to know what the person next to you is going through. I walk through life with grace and compassion towards others. I am not perfect, none of us are, but I try as hard as I can to be compassionate towards other people. When you are someone who is empathetic and compassionate, a hard thing to do is to set boundaries. This area of life is so incredibly important because you deserve to take care of yourself too. I may be able to understand and be compassionate towards something someone did, but I also deserve to set boundaries on things that do not serve me. I learned that setting boundaries and maintaining those boundaries is the best form of self-care.
My advice to those early on developing these things: be patient with yourself. Empathy and compassion aren’t easy for everyone but such important qualities to have. Things are going to make you upset, not everything is easy to understand and it’s knowing that when you are in that position, you are not a bad person.. you’re human. As for boundary setting – it takes time. I am a recovering people pleaser and I find setting boundaries so hard. Start small, start with people who are going to be receptive to your boundaries, and keep practicing. Practice saying no, have phrases that you utilize that make setting those boundaries easier. Biggest advice is to just be patient with yourself and to know that it is okay to put yourself first.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
The person who has been the most helpful is without a doubt, my older sister, Maddie. Her and I are three years a part. Of course we had our usual sibling fights growing up, but there was always love there. Her and I went through hell together. We grew up in such a toxic environment. It was really hard and was emotionally damaging. Throughout the years, no matter the obstacle, she’s there. Maddie is the most selfless, kindest, funniest woman I know.
She was always there: from little things like silly fights with friends, struggling with school, fights with our parents, to deep waves of depression, body image issues, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and so much more. My sister was there to remind me of the strength I have. She was there to be my sounding board. She of course would offer her unsolicited advice, which at the time, drove me insane, but as an adult, I can’t thank her enough.
She kept my head above water, she was a reason I kept living, that I kept pushing. My younger sister, Abby, became that same reason for me. Having sisters that I am so close with has been my saving grace. Whether it was our childhood, teenage years, college, and now young adulthood – Maddie has shown me how to overcome, she helped me develop the qualities I hold so dear to my heart. She was everything I ever wanted to be. I can 100% say that if I did not have her in my life, I would not had made it to where I am today. She was and still is my best friend and my biggest supporter. What she doesn’t realize, is actually I am her biggest fan. She is who I have to thank for overcoming every challenge, every road block, everything. It was her who I could turn to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.diversifiedhwc.com/allie-wojcik
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_alongcameallie/
- Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@al_frances
