Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Garber, LCSW.
Hi Molly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a Licensed Trauma and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapist in California. My joy in life is working to help people who have coped with their difficult histories by using humor and expression as their primary survival tools.
In 2016, I graduated from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia, CA where I received a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree (BFA) with a Minor in Social Science and Cultural Studies. After graduating from CalArts, I began managing art studios and fell into Personal Organization work.
Through my work in personal organizing, I began assisting individuals who had experienced death in their families. This role included both the emotional and administrative support for each situation at hand. I found myself excited and eager to continue working in an area where I could positively impact people’s lives directly through my work, which led me to apply and attend the University of Southern California (USC). In 2018, I received my Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the Children, Youth, and Families Program at USC.
After working at various public health agencies, I found that many of the issues that my clients were facing were a direct result of unresolved trauma. In 2021, I made a career shift into Private Practice and became trained in EMDR therapy after learning about the empirically supported positive impacts of the modality.
I began specializing in people primarily coping with their unresolved trauma through creative expression and humor, not only as a result of my undergraduate experience in the arts but also as someone who personally utilizes similar emotional coping strategies.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Wow, what a great question. I will say this, being a therapist of any kind is not for the faint of heart. People in my profession have to consistently check in with their own emotional and physical well-being or we run the risk of burnout, which ultimately puts our jobs at risk because if we are incapable of holding space for ourselves then we will degrade the quality of the care needed to care for someone else i.e., a patient.
Therapists also do not fall into this line of work for the money; we enter into it because we are heart-centered and emotional ourselves. That is a constant battle. Juggling how much I care for my patients, which is a lot while maintaining healthy and necessary professional boundaries. I’ll tell ya, it’s not easy!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I think what sets me apart from others is that I specialize in what I do and my niche as a result of personal experience. I am very open about this on social media. I had a challenging upbringing in many ways and my coping strategy of using humor and art was a true survival tool for me. Most of my bubbly personality and wit was a mask for so many unresolved experiences from my childhood. It wasn’t until I found and moved through Eye Movement and Desensitization (EMDR) therapy myself that I was authentically able to show up with that same fun, outgoing demeanor without it being or feeling deceiving. When people come to me with their pain, I can empathize with it from a true place of compassion and also a confidence in the life-changing effectiveness of EMDR therapy. It really is a beautiful thing.
How do you think about happiness?
My friends. They are my chosen family. There is nothing more sacred to me than the deeply-rooted trust, care, and companionship that exists within the mutual love of a friendship. I laugh because whether I have a romantic partner or not, my best friend is still always my emergency contact on medical forms. It’s not that I don’t trust a romantic partner; it’s just that I know that if something were to happen, she would somehow teleport to my location immediately.
Oh and of course my dog, Peanut. And anyone who has met him knows why.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mollygarbertherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollygarbertherapy/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D
- Other: TikTok @mollygarbertherapy
Image Credits
Photograph #1 by Darcy Hemley www.darcyhemley.com Photograph #2 by Ellyn Jameson www.ellynjameson.com
