Check Out Katrina Paulino’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Paulino.

Katrina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
This was Career 2.0 for me. I left running a competitive dance studio to return to school to pursue becoming a therapist. Grad school at Pepperdine in Malibu was amazing, and I immersed myself in several worlds while pursing licensure- the nonprofit space, the Malibu residential scene, and an Eastside private practice. I began to see how much the people and the space of an office could really benefit clients…allowing them to more easily ground into the work. Post-licensure, I began interviewing at group practices, none of which felt quite right. Eventually, I found a bungalow space in an old apartment building in Santa Monica, and fell in love. I opened my first suite of offices in December 2017, putting a lot of focus on the texture and feel of the space. I interviewed dozens of clinicians interested in renting from me, and put together a cohesive group of peers that made work feel energizing. After building out a solid private practice, spending years honing my complex trauma specialty (particular focus on clients who have a parent with a personality disorder), I decided to build my own group practice- Well Thought Space. Today, we are six clinicians and six offices strong. The five associates working for me are exceptional humans and amazing clinicians, each with their own unique story. We’ve got yoga instructors, reiki masters, queer/non-binary specializations, Spanish/Portuguese/Korean-speaking therapists, moms, Jewish clinicians…the whole gamut. I host quarterly happy hour events for the 20 clinicians who work out of my offices, and several times a year we do special engagements where speakers come in to share on a relevant therapeutic or community topic. One special piece of our work is giving back. Every member of the team offers pro-bono services, whether it be for recurring clients in need, or trauma treatment following a recent traumatic event (e.g., Palisades fire). Getting to incorporate my love of physical space into the rooms we welcome clients to, has been such a joy. Along with building of team of nurturing, talented and funny (!) clinicians…it’s just been the best.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Challenge #1: There are always challenges to growing a business. The natural ebbs and flows of the economy are a real challenge to small businesses in general, but to therapists in particular due to the service model backbone. With the advent of AI and other tech performing “therapy”, I find that clients’ wants/desires/expectations are changing. Not only do I have to be focused and person-centered and present for all clients in the room, I now have to dedicate more time outside of the office thinking more strategically about long-term operating logistics.

Challenge #2: The world has really changed the work that therapists do. My job has gotten so much harder over the years. The pandemic, politics, war…it goes on and on, and it feels relentless. Clients are struggling so much more than ever before, and it’s made every hour with clients just a little bit more challenging. I have to be extremely mindful about how I am showing up every day to work so that I can hold space for the intensity of what each client is walking in with. Self-care is a huge part (getting a good night’s sleep, extra snuggles with my dog and kids, perfecting my matcha latte), but can be a struggle to fit in.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Certified EMDR Therapist and my area of specialty is Complex Trauma. The majority of my clients come in for longer-term work, working through deep attachment wounds (for example, an adult child of a personality disordered parent). I’m in the middle of a new three-year training with ISSTD (The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation) to deepen my understanding of complex trauma and dissociation. Additionally, I seek out weekly consultation from experts in my field, as the majority of my cases are pretty nuanced and complex.

I would say I am most proud of my collaborative approach and the sense of humor I bring to the work. I work alongside my clients to help them get to where they want to be. I’ve worked with clients with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) and had a tremendous amount of success (although it has taken years). I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to see a client who has spent years unconsciously “hiding” parts of themselves, suddenly be able to access their whole selves.

I would say what sets me apart from other clinicians is the transparency and humor I bring to the work. I bring my whole self to each session, and that might include letting a client know I skipped breakfast so I might be eating a snack during session to stay focused! I so value the deep connection that can occur within the therapist-client relationship, so that level of humanity feels really important to me.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in a working-class neighborhood. We knew all of our neighbors, got to run around after school. I was shy yet very social, danced, played sports…pretty typical. I was a little closed off emotionally towards others. I kept a lot in, and processed a lot of things on my own. It made me a really good listener and a really good source of support for others. Perhaps that’s why I landed in this role! I was also always trying to make people laugh.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katrinapaulino.com