Show Notes
Dr. Arielle Schwartz is a psychologist based in Boulder, Colorado who specializes in EMDR and somatic therapy. She runs a busy private practice, writes a blog, teaches yoga, and has published a book on complex trauma. In this interview Arielle discusses how she built up her practice, how she balances her time, and how she uses social media to promote her practice.
Interview Highlights
[2:00] Arielle talks about how her early years shaped her career choice; her mother was a psychologist and her stepfather was a social worker.
[3:48] Arielle spent some of her college years studying math, then switched to psychology. After graduating, she moved west to take a job in wilderness therapy, working with youth at risk.
[5:40] Arielle went to grad school and studied somatic therapy at Naropa University. She knew she didn’t want to practice talk therapy alone. Eventually she went back to school to get a doctorate degree.
[6:42] After she got licensed, Arielle set up a private practice which she kept while working on her Ph.D. Her dissertation was on the mind-body connection through a psychology perspective.
[8:22] Arielle has a full-time private practice. She also teaches EMDR therapy and consultation for other therapists, through the Maiberger Institute. Another Naropa graduate, from her class, founded the institute, which is also in Boulder.
[10:55] Naropa University was a hub for somatic therapy developments and inquiry while Arielle was a student there. She studied and attended symposiums with many leaders in the field.
[15:05] Arielle started her career in community mental health. She worked for the organization for 4 years, and says the experience prepared her to open her private practice. She doesn’t work with substance abuse or eating disorder patients—she refers them on to other providers. Arielle says she works best with clients who have severe PTSD, and these clients make up most of her practice.
[18:56] Arielle’s clients find her through word of mouth, network referrals, and the Internet.
[20:28] Arielle uses social media to promote her services. In 2013 she hired a developer to work on her website and SEO. This professional advised her to start a blog, a professional page on Facebook, and a LinkedIn profile. The amount of traffic to her website increased dramatically after that, and other therapists began to see her as an expert on trauma.
[23:00] Several years ago, a publishing company found Arielle through her blog posts and asked her if she’d like to write a book on complex PTSD. The book is titled. The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole.
[26:21] Her first book is intended for parents of young adults (and adults working with their own past traumas), and it emphasizes self-compassion. Arielle has signed a contract for a second book, which she hopes to publish this year.
[30:30] The Maiberger Institute combines somatic therapy and EMDR therapy. The advanced trainings happen in Boulder, but Arielle travels and trains therapists at other locations.
[32:25] In 2012, Arielle’s part-time practice was full and she decided to devote more time to it—before that, she had been working part time. Arielle’s husband became a stay at home dad to care for their young children, and she began working more hours.
[34:45] At most, Arielle sees 25 clients a week. She prefers to see 20. A portion of her practice is devoted to training other therapists, so she has a base of therapists she can refer people to. She blocks out time to write, sometimes after her kids go to bed.
[38:14] Arielle’s advice to therapists starting out in the field is to find a really good supervisor. She’s had the same one for 13 years.
Dr. Arielle Schwartz – Psychologist, Boulder, Colorado
Arielle Schwartz, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and EMDR Therapy consultant with a private practice in Boulder, Colorado. She earned her a Masters in Somatic Psychology through Naropa University and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Fielding Graduate University.
She is a core teacher with The Maiberger Institute offering therapist trainings in EMDR Therapy and Somatic psychology. She offers informational mental health and wellness updates through her heartfelt presentations, social media presence, and blog. She is the author of The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole.
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