Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Slipski.
Hi Kim, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Therapy was not a first career for me. In fact, before recent years – and especially pre-pandemic – it wasn’t a field nearly as normalized as it has become today. Instead, I channeled my early interests and curiosity in psychology and human behavior into marketing, where ad campaigns, focus groups, and other forms of consumer engagement and market research scratched my itch of understanding people, and why we do what we do.
Thus began a pretty rigorous career path through corporate, tech, and other startup environments that eventually landed me in a therapist’s office myself – trying to understand why I myself was so ambitious but still so anxious, and so driven in my career but ultimately unfulfilled.
At the time I had the privilege of being able to save up for an extended sabbatical. In that time, I was able to travel, pursue my certification in yoga teacher training, and even begin to work with other professionals like myself navigating career changes, burnout, and executive leadership challenges, before ultimately making the leap to go back to grad school to officially become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. “Therapy school” – as I fondly like to call it – was one of the most transformative experiences of my life, and helped both to profoundly expand my own self-understanding, as well as the skills I was able to use to help others do the same.
Fast-forward several years and today, in addition to an incredibly broad and diverse range of clients, I get the honor of working with many clients in similar situations to my own who navigating crushing burnout, and challenges with balance, direction, relationships, and more.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As many of us know, the most rewarding journeys are often anything but smooth. And so of course my own path through a career change, licensure, and becoming a business owner has come with its fair share of twists and turns!
Most recently my husband and I lost our beautiful home in Altadena to the Eaton Fire. The very same week, we also found out we were pregnant with our first. It forced me to make some very big pivots to my business plan, and to learn to listen to myself and slow down – once again.
But these gifts have also unequivocally stretched my clinical skills to an entirely new level. I am able to show up for my clients experiencing grief and trauma in an entirely new way, having experienced like experiences first-hand, in many ways for the first-time. And, of course the increased depth of my understanding and empathy for my moms, expecting moms, and hoping-to-be mom clients has created such a different level of closeness and camaraderie for many of my clients. It’s one of the things I like most about my job – each new obstacle and each new life stage offers something to learn and eventually use in service of others.
In her memoir, Ina Garten also emphasized a consistent theme throughout her life: “You never know your good breaks from your bad breaks.” It’s one of the mantras I choose to remember when things get hard, and trust that even when it takes time, the challenges often lead you to the best destinations.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Wellful Therapy?
Wellful Therapy is a private practice in Pasadena where we work with high-functioning clients who are burned out, struggling with anxiety and perfectionism, or stuck in their relationships, careers, or stages of life that feel like a hamster wheel.
We believe that well-being comes first, and help clients to focus on self care, boundaries, tools, and deeper processing that repairs and doesn’t lead to inevitable burnout. As therapy is a field burnout is also highly common, we’re also proud to practice what we preach with our therapists and within our larger community. This has truly become the heart and greater mission our brand.
Lastly, one of the things that sets us apart with clients is that we also “get” what it’s like for busy and high-achieving professionals more than the average therapist, and aim to balance listening with actually implementing change. We take an active and collaborative approach in helping clients problem-solve and maintain accountability to their goals, and also offer a range of approaches that go beyond just talk therapy, understanding the critical connections between the mind, body and nervous system, and using neuroscience and evidence-based approaches such as mindfulness and somatic techniques to help clients solidify change and promote holistic health across the board.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
To learn more or set up a consultation, clients can visit us at https://www.wellfultherapy.com/.
For collaboration or partnership inquiries, please use the contact form on our website — we do our best to review messages thoughtfully and respond when aligned.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wellfultherapy.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/wellfulwithkim
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/wellfultherapy
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellful-therapy
- Twitter: https://x.com/kimbielak
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WellfulTherapy
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kim-bielak-therapy-pasadena-2
Image Credits
Avalon Bauman
