Exploring Life & Business with Hayli Evans of Hayli Evans Marriage & Family Therapist Inc.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayli Evans.

Hi Hayli, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began working as a therapist in a community mental health and recovery center setting in the Inland Empire. This work was as rewarding as it was challenging. I am grateful for my early experience because it helped to shape the way that I see the world and the powerful role that the therapeutic relationship can play in healing. Working in recovery and community healthcare settings illuminated for me the impact of trauma on a variety of diagnosed mental health conditions and symptoms. Particularly in substance use and recovery settings, I found myself consistently in need of more tools and education for processing and healing the trauma, as it was typically (if not always) at the root of a person’s relationship with substance use. This observation motivated me to pursue training in EMDR Therapy, an evidence based therapy for the treatment and healing of PTSD. Practicing EMDR therapy really opened my eyes to the various ways that trauma presents in people’s lived experience and inspired me to continue to learn methods for supporting my clients through their healing process.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic and shut down, I moved with my husband to Los Angeles and started my private practice, specializing in trauma, anxiety, and treatment of C-PTSD. I have been so grateful for the opportunity to grow as a therapist and a business owner over the past several years. During this time, I have completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training, learned new ways of supporting my clients in connection to their bodies, have had a baby, and have had the opportunity to build relationships in our community that foster mutual growth of our businesses. I look forward to many more years and many more connections with like-minded healers.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have absolutely been some bumps and struggles throughout my journey. I think that many therapists struggle early on with the changes that necessarily occur within ourselves and in our personal relationships when we begin this work. My first supervisor described this process in a way that made sense to me. She said that I went through life before becoming a therapist with a veil over my eyes that protected me from seeing some aspects of the world as it truly is. In the early years of being a therapist, that veil is ripped away, and my perspectives are forced to change, often in uncomfortable ways.

Therapists must learn to sit with human suffering, bearing empathetic witness to another’s experiences, and we start to realize how frequently human beings are hurt by others and by circumstances outside of their control. For me, it was impossible to engage in this process without being fundamentally changed by it. This affected my interpersonal relationships, my boundaries, how much alone time I needed, family planning, parenting choices…everything. I am incredibly thankful for the process, but I always tell my loved ones or clients who are entering this career to expect to be changed by this work as much as they will be supporting change in others. I love that I am always learning and growing. This work will never be boring.

As you know, we’re big fans of Hayli Evans Marriage & Family Therapist Inc.. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
When I think about my business what comes to mind is, “My business is me.” My business is a reflection of who I am as a person as well as what I am trained to do. I use methods that are most in alignment with how I understand healing to happen, and I’m always in a place of learning. Professionally, I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Los Angeles, and I work with people all over California. I specialize in trauma, C-PTSD, anxiety, and EMDR therapy. I work primarily with people who have anxiety, histories of developmental or relational trauma, often beginning in childhood. Treatment usually involves helping clients to build trust in themselves and others, connect to their bodies, build meaningful relationships, and increase confidence in making choices. Personally, I am a mama to a toddler, I am married, have a dog, and I love reading (I will join any book club that invites me), yoga, and the beach.

Local therapists, doctors, friends, and past clients usually refer people to see me because they trust that they will be safe with me. I will show up as my authentic self and will provide a safe space for learning, growth, exploration, and feelings. I will listen and guide when appropriate. I am nurturing, but also direct. We will laugh in session as much as cry. I love working with women and LGBTQIA+ individuals who are ready to build insight, take action, and begin/continue their healing process. I integrate yoga, ego states/IFS techniques, and EMDR into the therapeutic process. I value meeting my clients where they are and collaboratively making decisions about treatment plans and goals.

One of my favorite things about being a therapist is building unique relationships with each client, witnessing the ways that the relationship itself facilitates healing. I will always work to integrate cultural and political impacts on my clients’ experiences and will not shy away from difficult conversations. I believe that therapy IS political, so we work to create space for honesty and exploration throughout the process. Ultimately, my goal is to create a safe environment for healing and connection. I am so passionate about this work, and expect that any of my clients would attest to the fact that it’s evident in how I show up with them each week.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Wow. So many people have contributed to where I’m at today. My supervisor early in my career, Betsy, was probably the most influential person in my entire educational experience. I think about her during sessions, when conceptualizing how best to help someone, when I feel stuck. She taught me how to think like a therapist, and I will be eternally grateful for the wisdom and encouragement that she’s gifted me.

My friend and colleague Holly Wood, LMFT, PhD, is always the person I turn to with questions or for support both clinically and in business. School didn’t teach me how to run a business, so largely I’m learning as I go, and it’s really nice to be doing it alongside someone who I consider to also be.a friend.

My husband has been my biggest support throughout my career. He’s been a point of stability, a sounding board, and has always believed that I can do anything I set my mind to. So far, he’s always been right, and he helps keep me grounded when I feel overwhelmed or anxious.

My (anonymous) clients, obviously, play the biggest role in the success of my business, and I feel grateful every day to wake up and do therapy for a living.

Pricing:

• Individual 50 min. session $225
• Individual 90 min. EMDR session $340
• EMDR Intensives- Inquire through contact form
• Free 15-min. phone consultation

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.haylievanslmft.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haylievanslmft/