Conversations with Cara Nissen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Nissen.

Hi Cara, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
Thank you for the time to feature me. It has been a journey, to say the least! I grow up in the suburbs outside of Los Angeles, CA, and have always been a Southern California girl. The ocean is my happy place. I decided to attend California State University, Long Beach, for my undergraduate degree. I earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Human Resources. Coming out of college, I didn’t feel prepared for the “real world.” In fact, I was scared and had no idea what to do with my life. I had explored the possibility of working in education- most of my family worked in education, so it was a natural choice for me. I was involved as an undergraduate student, from student government, to peer mentoring, to working on campus part-time. Through those experiences, I decided to explore the route of student services/higher education. I attended California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA, and earned my Master of Science Degree in Counseling, with a specialization in College Student Personnel. I have worked in career services, academic advising, graduate school admissions, adult and post-traditional, with a focus on student success and retention. I am also a part-time faculty member at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, teaching psychology classes. In my current role, I am a program coordinator for an academic coaching program for students with disabilities at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). I also am a certified Life Coach with Lumia Coaching. 

I am a third generation Greek- American on my mother’s side and am grateful my grandparents on my mother’s side were around for my childhood into my early adulthood. My Yiayia (Grandmother in Greek) is a huge inspiration to the woman I am today. She is known by all for her sense of humor, sassiness, and, quite frankly, not caring what anyone else thinks- not to mention, she had the latest entertainment gossip despite having no internet! We would love hearing her stories. 

I have faced health issues my entire life, with the most traumatic and vivid memory when I was 10-11 years old and had to have an emergency surgery. In 2020, I was diagnosed with lupus while also unknowingly at the time having COVID. My entire life changed that year. Because of my lived experiences, I am an advocate for chronic health warriors and provide support to others who may be newly diagnosed or trying to figure it out. 

In my free time you will find me practicing yoga at my favorite local yoga studio and spending as much time as possible at the ocean. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My Yiayia taught us that life is not fair. She would share her struggles and stories with us as young children. I never really got this until I was older and had to experience far more obstacles and challenges than I ever imagined. From a young age, I was told you are too this or too that- too shy, too quiet, too sensitive, not smart enough, not pretty enough. I was picked on at school by other kids and was always the outsider. When I was 23, I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) after begging them to diagnosis me. The first “specialist” I saw was a male doctor after being weighed, told me that my problem was that I was overweight and I would need to lose weight. Not only did he fat shame me, but he said that he would not order any more blood tests until I lost 20 or 30 pounds. I can’t remember the exact number. This really harmed me, and I am still dealing with my body image almost 10 years later. I have always been thrown some sort of challenge. I believe that how we react and cope with it speaks volumes. Even not being part of a group has affected me in my adulthood since I was excluded as a child. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a certified life coach, I love being able to support clients individually and in groups. I am focused on clients with chronic health conditions, in addition to those who are disabled. 

I am interested in the psychological effects from chronic conditions, advocacy in public health, women’s health issues, long-time COVID effects, self-esteem and self-confidence in women and girls, effects of bullying on women, and disability awareness and advocacy- especially invisible disabilities. We are seeing this more and more, and the toll it can take on someone is tremendous. 

I also have the honor of serving as the Vice-President of Grl Pwr LA, a non-profit geared towards helping women discover community while fostering personal and professional development. We have a Mentorship Program for Women Entrepreneurs. We also partner with local agencies to deliver programs and services for Foster Youth aging out of the system. 

I focus on a strengths-based approach and am proud of supporting others who may feel they don’t have a voice- we all do. 

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t know if it is luck or hard work, determination, and resilience to get me where I am today. I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t have to face some sort of struggle or challenge- that is what makes us human. 

Pricing:

• Private 1:1 session (50 minutes plus support between sessions) $120.00 USD
• 4 sessions 1:1 private sessions: $400.00 USD
• Summer special for readers: $75.00 USD
• Virtual support (no video call) for 8 weeks: $165.00 USD
• Group option: $25.00 per group

Contact Info:

• Website: caranissen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomwithcara/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-nissen/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/cara.nissen

Image Credits
Cristina Nissen
Ligia Cristina Chin