Meet Q Porschatis

We were lucky to catch up with Q Porschatis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Q, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

For a long time, I thought my story was only about surviving. I grew up in a culture where I didn’t quite fit in and carried the weight of trying to prove myself in places that didn’t always see or accept me fully. I worked in environments that left me burned out and went through relationships that made me question my worth. For years, resilience meant constantly pushing through — but it wasn’t sustainable.

My turning point came when I realized I wasn’t broken — I was stuck in survival mode. That insight changed not only how I saw myself, but also how I wanted to show up in the world. I went back to school for social work, studied trauma, EMDR, and the nervous system, and discovered that my purpose wasn’t just to “help people feel better.” It was to create a space where people could stop pushing through and actually heal the root of their pain.

That calling led me to found Salty Counseling. Today, my purpose is clear: to help high-achieving women and professionals move beyond coping and into genuine transformation. Every client I work with reminds me that our greatest purpose often emerges from the very challenges we once thought might break us.

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

I’m the founder of Salty Counseling, a private therapy practice in Salt Lake City that specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR, and somatic approaches. I work primarily with high-achieving women and professionals who look like they “have it all together” on the outside, but feel anxious, exhausted, or stuck on the inside. What makes my work unique is that I help clients go beyond just coping. Together, we address the root causes of trauma, anxiety, and burnout so they can actually feel calmer, more grounded, and more connected in their daily lives.

What excites me most is watching clients shift out of survival mode and finally feel at home in their own bodies. It’s not about quick fixes — it’s about lasting transformation. My approach blends EMDR, somatic therapy, and polyvagal-informed care, which means clients don’t just talk about their struggles — they experience real change in how their nervous system responds to stress.

Currently, I’m focused on expanding access to trauma-informed work by continuing to share resources through my website, blog, and community outreach efforts. I’m passionate about breaking the stigma around therapy and helping people understand that they don’t have to “push through” life — healing is possible, and it can change everything.

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?

The three qualities that have shaped my journey most are resilience, curiosity, and authenticity. Resilience gave me the ability to keep going through setbacks — not by pushing harder, but by learning how to pause, reset, and move forward in sustainable ways. Curiosity drove me to keep asking questions about myself, others, and the world, which led me into psychology, trauma work, and eventually founding my practice. And authenticity has allowed me to connect deeply with clients and build a career that feels true to who I am, rather than trying to fit someone else’s mold.

For those early in their journey, my advice is this: nurture your resilience by practicing rest as much as effort, let your curiosity guide your growth, and trust your own voice and intuition. These three qualities won’t just move your career forward — they’ll help you grow into the person you’re meant to be.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

My ideal clients are women and professionals who, on the surface, appear to have it all together, but inside, they feel anxious, exhausted, or never quite good enough. They’ve spent years pushing through — excelling in their careers, caring for others, and holding it all together — often while being hard on themselves, carrying old family or relationship wounds, and questioning if they’re good enough. Many have survived difficult experiences and learned to keep moving, but now they’re ready for more than just coping.

What makes someone an ideal fit for my work is not perfection or having everything figured out — it’s simply the willingness to show up honestly and the desire for genuine change. My clients are often tired of surface-level fixes and are drawn to approaches like EMDR, somatic therapy, and polyvagal-informed work because they’re ready to heal at the root, not just manage symptoms.

The most rewarding part of working with this group is seeing the shift when they realize they aren’t broken — they’ve just been stuck in survival mode, carrying patterns that were never truly theirs. When those patterns are released, clients can reconnect with their inner wisdom, step into their own strength, and feel calm, grounded, and more at home in their own skin. My goal is to help them heal at the root and empower them to live with clarity, confidence, and calm.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Main headshot professional photo: Precision Photography

All other photos: No credit needed

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
Are you walking a path—or wandering?

The answer to whether you are walking or wandering often changes from season to season

Highlighter Series
What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?

With so many high-achievers in our community it was super interesting to learn about the

Highlighter Series
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?

We asked some of the wisest people we know what they would tell their younger