Meet Tricia Thornton

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tricia Thornton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tricia, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

My story of resiliency started at a young age when I went through two traumatic experiences. The first when my dear grandmother was run over by her own car in my driveway and the second that occurred three weeks later. Two intruders entered my home, and I was awakened in the night to my mother’s piercing scream as she saw the robbers climbing out of our window. Fear settled into my brain at the young age of six, and I had to figure out how to survive.

In my teen years, I was once again stricken with grief when my boyfriend’s sister’s long battle with leukemia ended. I felt a fire within me to finish out her dream of attending Vanderbilt University. On paper, I did not fit the necessary requirements to get into the prestigious institution. After my guidance counselor told me that there was no way I was going to get into Vanderbilt, I became determined to prove her and others wrong. Typically, admissions at Vanderbilt did not offer interviews. I believed I had to have a chance to share more than what my scores revealed. One day, I up and called Peabody at Vanderbilt to ask if I could schedule an in-person meeting with the dean of the human development program. I believe the receptionist was impressed by my tenacity, and she put me through to the admissions office. I was overjoyed when the dean agreed to meet with me.

When the interview was nearing the end, he asked what else he needed to know about me. I looked at him straight in the eyes as an 18-year-old young woman and said, “Your class of 1994 will not be the same without Patricia Evelyn Sineath.”

A few weeks later, the big day had arrived. I would be receiving the admissions letter. My mother and I had agreed that she would open the letter first before I arrived home from school. I remember driving up the driveway, and before I could even get passed the mailbox, I saw a huge sign that expanded the length of the bushes that proclaimed, “YES!” I had done it! I got into Vanderbilt University early decision.

The best part of the story was when I got to walk into my guidance counselor’s office the next day and show her my letter of acceptance!

I had not allowed fear to hold me back to fulfill what first was the dream of my friend, but then became mine. I have carried that determination and perseverance through the mountains and valleys of life.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Childhood depression and anxiety have doubled in the last few years. This anxious generation is being riddled with headlines of violence in their schools, community and worldwide. Parents are feeling an immense amount of pressure to guide their families. In a variety of roles, I walk alongside parents during their healing journeys.

My work is organized in three tiers.

Licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist: In my private practice located in the Green Hills area of Nashville, I counsel children and families struggling with fear, trauma, loss, anger, various school issues, and ADHD. I offer a parent coaching program that is aimed to support parents as the integral role in the family system. I empower parents to understand themselves and how they can genuinely be present and connect with their children. As a registered play therapist, I guide children of all ages through their natural language of play to explore their inner world. Often children cannot name their feelings verbally, but they can through the play. I also work with teens and adults as they walk through life’s challenges.

Speaking and Events: I am a sought-after speaker for professional, school, and parent groups. In addition, I occasionally host in-person and online events focused on relevant topics. I also have an active social media following. Each week, I post videos called, “Two Minutes with Tricia Thornton” which are aimed to give practical tips about relevant topics related to self-care, parenting, and emotional regulation.

Book & Resources: My book, Blessing From Fear, is for parents who are trying to help the children they love deal with anxiety and other confusing emotions. It helps parents, educational professionals and other adults discover the meaning of fear in their lives and how it has shaped them into the person they have become. The hypervigilant needs of young people in this broken world can feel overwhelming to the adults who care for them. By vulnerably interweaving my life’s journey with neurologically sound tools, I support the reader discover their “True Self,” freeing them to empower their children. The True Self is our whole, integrated self that recognizes the power to choose a healthy reaction to a big feeling. While fear rises within us each day, the book guides the reader to embrace the blessings from our feelings and emotions.

Whether it is my readers, my audience, or my clients, it is a joy to care for those who are hurting from life’s up-and-down road. Seeing a child who walks out of my playroom with a sense of safety when they have felt seen and heard is life-giving to the family. I feel thankful when a parent feels supported during my coaching program when they realize they are not alone in raising this anxious generation. Helping an adolescent or adult to feel balanced is also a true joy.

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?

Three qualities that I hold dear are tenacity, self-awareness, and authenticity. After experiencing two significant traumatic events in my young life, I made the choice to not allow fear to keep me from dreaming and achieving. This journey has been long and winding, but in the end my tenacity has propelled me forward. I have had empowering supporters along the way, and today, I now reflect on how I was tenacious through the valleys of life. What allowed me to choose a path forward and not to get stuck in the spirals of self-doubt was my self-awareness. Through my days at Denver Seminary for graduate school, I was challenged to dig deep into my soul to grow my skills towards embracing my True Self. Being self-aware is a process by which we can identify the inner critic lies and learn how to stop the shame spirals from igniting. By no means does this equal perfection, but quite the opposite. I have learned how to balance my imperfections with authenticity. Vulnerability and being authentic is the backbone of my book, Blessing From Fear. I also find when I am guiding parents and clients in my counseling practice, being authentic furthers my ability to be present and attuned during the session.

I often am asked by beginning therapists, what are the keys to being a successful therapist. Parents also ask me what is the most important thing to do as they are shepherding their children. Self-care is the key for both therapists and parents. If I do not practice self-care, then I will not be able to balance the roadblocks, therefore I will not have a tenacious spirit, but one of timidity. Without prioritizing taking care of myself, I will also only focus on my circumstances around me which blocks the power of my self-awareness. Lastly, I would not be true to myself and authentic, but insecure. Self-care is utmost important for me as a therapist and as a parent.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

In my counseling practice, the number one challenge is working with families that find themselves getting caught in the trap of busyness. When fear arises, we often run to being busy, but our brains cherish stillness. I certainly can get caught in this same spiral as well. I encourage myself and the families I work with to sprinkle in self-care throughout the day.

A few ways to simply practice self-care are:
– Walk in and out of every room in your home.
– Stretch at your desk for 5 minutes twice during the day,
– Incorporate deep breathing three times in a day,
– Utilize the 5 senses by asking yourself, “What are three things I see, hear and touch?”
– Name your feelings without allowing any thoughts of shame afterwards.

The trap of performance is enticing. We often feel that success depends on our abilities, but it is being authentic to yourself that will further your efforts. Learning how to have healthy emotional boundaries is a key part of bringing in stillness into our lives. Most of us are familiar with physical boundaries as property lines. Emotional boundaries are where one person ends another begins. I teach children and their parents about how to strengthen their emotional boundaries by using a hula hoop. Most of us were not born natural hula hoopers. It is a learned skill. We must practice keeping our hula hoop (our emotional boundary) up so we will honor our power within to choose a healthy reaction to big feelings, such as fear. By practicing self-care, we are strengthening our emotional boundaries which will result in us putting stillness as a priority rather than busyness.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Jamie Wright Images

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