Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.d.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Gretchen, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My father died unexpectedly when I was 13 years old, and my family really struggled to make sense of his death – mostly, we tucked our grief away and soldiered on stoically with life – but the effects of such a loss are profound, and don’t go away just because you ignore them. My mother’s mental health deteriorated, my brother began acting out in school, and I wanted nothing more than to escape this depressing environment. But hints of grief kept popping up, I never felt satisfied that I really understood precisely how our family had fallen apart, and finally, after years of generic supportive therapy, I found a group that specialized in suicide loss, and that was the beginning of para-professional work in suicide loss, and eventually, drove my decision to change careers. By that time, my stepfather was terminally ill with cancer, and I saw how much grief there was with extended illness. I wanted to help, but didn’t know how until I discovered health psychology, and realized that I could use my extensive medical knowledge along with my grief counseling skills to help people with their most difficult personal crises. I’m a lifelong learner with a deep curiosity, and that drove my commitment to formal education. I share coping methods, new ways of thinking, and make space for people to enter into the depth of their sadness, and that is gratifying to me. I feel that my early life pain serves a meaningful purpose, and I’m so glad that I can support others in powerful ways.
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’ve been interested in psychology since I was a child reading my mother’s old textbooks, but I didn’t go to graduate school until I was 37, so this is a second career for me. By that time, I’d had plenty of life experience with health and grief issues, and found myself drawn to both health psychology and bereavement work.
As a health psychologist, I help people cope with chronic or terminal illness, and implement or change health behaviors that aren’t helping people live their best lives. I tend to work with people who have complicated grief around sudden or unexpected death, or multiple deaths in a short time. I also work with losses related to aging, health/functioning in daily life, miscarriage, or career.
I’m also passionate about helping women identify and holistically treat Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), and have written a book, The PCOS Mood Cure: Your Guide to Ending the Emotional Roller Coaster, which ties mental health to physical health, and offers practical tips for managing this common hormonal condition. I am in the process of writing a workbook to accompany this book, as well as an updated version of the book, which will include revised dietary guidelines, nutrition information, and my thoughts on popular weight loss drugs such as Ozempic.
My other book, Moving Through Grief: Proven Techniques for Finding Your Way After Any Loss, is a practical handbook full of actionable exercises that will help with any form of grief or loss.
I see clients online (telehealth), and am a frequent blogger, speaker, and panel guest on these and related topics.
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?
I believe everything we do contributes to our ability to be effective in our careers, especially in psychotherapy. The most important qualities I offer are curiosity, non-judgmentalism, deep compassion and empathy, and a respect for the individual’s pain and suffering. I love people and I want them to be well.
I bring myriad skills to my profession, including a vast array of knowledge about allopathic and holistic medicine, medical conditions, suicide loss, ways of reframing thinking, devising plans for taking baby steps to achieve a desired outcome, financial management, preparation of legal documents, and marketing – and sometimes, persuasion, somatic insights, and knowledge of how the medical system works.
In addition to the history and practice of psychology, it’s helpful to have broad knowledge in both liberal arts and more scientific subjects (statistics, how to interpret a study, research skills, etc.). If you are going to have a private practice, it really helps to know something about legal structures, accounting, insurance coding and billing, and of course, how to accurately diagnose and treat your clients. I came from a long business background, both corporate and entrepreneurial, and found the transition to private practice relatively seamless. Early in your journey to this type of career, gather knowledge in areas of specific interest (working with children, addiction, couples, etc.), don’t be afraid of the financial and legal aspects, and hire as much help as you need with marketing, if these are not your skills. There’s a lot to learn, but psychotherapists are some of the most helpful people out there, if you just ask the questions.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always happy to see if I’m a good fit to work with anyone experience grief or a complex health condition, and I enjoy teaching and mentoring. If you have an opportunity for consultation, speaking, or professional writing, I’d love to speak with you. I like business partners who are driven, practical, realistic, creative, curious, and respectful, which is also how I’d describe my approach to business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://drgretchenkubacky.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askdrgretchenkubacky
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchen-kubacky-psy-d-2107366/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AskDrGretchen
- Other: https://pcoswellness.com/
Image Credits
Primary headshot and two in blue, laughing: Cathryn Farnsworth
Action shot in red jacket: Margie Woods
PCOS book shot: Prepared by QBR/owned by Gretchen Kubacky
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
