Meet Candace McArthur

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

Candace, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?

As a therapist, this is a “topic” near and dear to my heart… and maybe every fiber of my being. Also, before we dive in, can we address how much I hate the term “self-care?” As a recovering people-pleasing perfectionist, who built a whole life around the idea that considering myself was selfish- this term can sometimes make me feel a wee bit on edge. What if we just called it “care”… and we learned to include ourselves within that realm? What if care wasn’t relegated to something we offer and give to everyone else, in spite of and in contradiction to our own wellbeing, but rather, this care includes us and considers us. AND, can we also make sure to not water down “self-care” to massages and candles? Please and thank you.

Ok, I’ll get off my soap box, I promise.

Self-care, aka CARE. Let’s start with what happens when I neglect this… I literally burn-out. I feel a lack, a void, a constant overwhelm and can’t access what I need to do my job well. Going without it leads me to a very unhealthy place, in all aspects of my life.

So what do I do? I go to therapy. I run. I talk to my friends. I cry on my porch swing. I cook nourishing meals for myself. I let myself order Chick-fil-a. I drink water. I meet up with friends for drinks. I read books that make me laugh. I listen to podcasts that make me think and process. I take naps. I try and get good sleep. I slow down. I get in nature. I watch reruns of Friends and laugh out loud. I dance in my kitchen with my kids, like a fool. I set boundaries.

The reality is, caring for myself looks like so many different things and ebbs and flows as life, “lifes.” Caring for myself isn’t something that is always a set aside, specified time or space, because I honestly can’t always find that kind of time… but as I have learned to simply include myself in the long list of what I feel responsible to care for, it’s expanded the ways in which I allow, access and feel cared 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?

The Sparrows Collective is a space for humans to be, well, human.

Mission
At The Sparrows Collective, we make space for people to show up fully—messy, complex, and real. Through honest, relational and compassionate therapy, we help clients reconnect with themselves and move toward healing that feels human and sustainable.

We believe that creating space for our therapists matters just as much as creating space for our clients—because supported therapists provide better care, and no one should burn out in the work of healing.

Vision
A world where both clients and therapists experience therapy as a space of belonging—not pressure. A world where authenticity is honored, healing is collaborative, and the people holding space for others have space held for them too.

Offerings: individual, couples and family therapy (with clinicians who are passionate about what they do AND are also cared for and supported in their work); Community Yoga Events, Wellness Fairs, and really cool merch 🙂

Upcoming event: Fall Community Yoga (checkout @thesparrowscollective on instagram for info)

You can purchase Sparrows merch through our website– 5% of all proceeds are directed towards a nonprofit that we are starting (The Sparrows Fund) to help alleviate the cost of therapy and also ensure our clinicians are paid well for their work.

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?

Gosh, looking back, I would say that this journey has been less about knowledge or skill (although they are very important!) and more about accessing permission to dream, staying connected with others and being honest with myself.

I’m not really a dreamer, I tend towards pragmatism… I live in the practicals and tend to find myself answering the “how” question more than the others. So giving myself permission to dream really took some effort, but once I did access that permission to dream, so much changed for me. I was able to access hope and planning (in a fun way), I felt the confines of the way things had always been done release and ultimately, I found access to more of myself.

I’d also highly encourage you to not isolate yourself in this kind of journey. You do not need to live or exist on an island, in any way. We are hard-wired for belonging and connection and when we turn away from that core need, comparison, competition and shame can totally take over. Get connected with others who are doing what you want to do, practice collaboration and celebrate their wins- it pays off in dividends (mainly for your own soul).

And finally, the practice of being honest with myself. Gosh. This one is something I am constantly working on and having to return to, because it’s easy for me to ignore what I am feeling or name what I know to be true. It’s easy for me to just maintain the things, all the while, feeling burnt-out or overwhelmed or misaligned or something. I have to remind myself that I didn’t start this journey as a business owner to become resentful and burnt-out, I started this so I could actually avoid those very things! But if I am not honest with myself, if I’m not allowing myself to check-in on the things that matter (how’s my sleep? where are my emotions at? do I want to show up to work more often than not? am I dreaming of leaving it all behind too often?) then I will definitely find myself depleted and discouraged.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I am always looking for folks to collaborate with! This is the heart of The Sparrows Collective (keyword: Collective). I absolutely believe and want to create a space that is holistic at heart– that seeks to care for humans in real and holistic ways.

I know that humans need well-rounded support, not just talk therapy, and my dream is that Sparrows becomes a place where someone can walk in and get all the care they need! So if you are some kind of Wellness Practitioner (therapist, dietitian, coach, personal trainer, acupuncturist, yoga teacher, DPC provider, etc) then please connect with me!

Also. I am looking for people to collaborate with who might want to highlight/showcase Sparrows merch- 1. Because I think it’s really cool and 2. Because the vision behind the merch really matters… the merch we have seeks to normalize mental health care and also validate that being a human is freaking hard AND 5% of the proceeds from the sale of any merch is now directed towards a nonprofit “branch” of our little Collective, called The Sparrows Fund– that seeks to alleviate the cost of therapy for some, as well as ensuring that our clinicians are well compensated for their hard work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thesparrowscollective.com
• Instagram: @thesparrowscollective
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-sparrows-collective/about/?viewAsMember=true

Image Credits

Photos by Loft Creative