Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Mink
Hi Justin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
About a decade ago, I left the money, the unlimited expense account and the world that was New York City corporate advertising. I was done helping brands, done supporting pocketbooks. I wanted to help others in a different and more personal way — help others overcome the everyday, the ordinary, the extra-ordinary, the unique and the difficult challenges that are holding them back from being their best self. Now I have the privilege to do just that, working as a psychotherapist.
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?
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken is a bit of a double-edged sword: I got sober. Getting sober was risky, as I didn’t know what the future would hold for me, how my life would be different. However, not getting sober obviously presented its own massive risks. Getting sober also meant the risk of finding a new career, living in a new place, being around new people. Although risky, sobriety provided me the opportunity to follow a career path that I could be passionate about, one I never thought possible. How was I going to become a therapist when I couldn’t even help myself? Well, now that I was able to help myself, I made the decision to leave the New York City advertising industry behind and follow the path that I truly wanted to walk. Helping others has always been my greatest passion, even from a very young age. It is where I got the most gratification and also where I felt most valued. I went back to school at 32 and earned my Masters in Social Work from USC, subsequently becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, where I work as a therapist in my private practice (www.minkpsychotherapy.com). As a sober therapist, it has provided me the unique opportunity to not only help people with issues such as addiction and substance use from an educational standpoint, but also help guide clients from a first-hand perspective. At 12 years sober, I have been able to expand my private therapy practice to include work with individuals experiencing an array of issues (depression, anxiety, medical issues, relationships), as well as working with couples as a Gottman Trained Couple’s Therapist.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I opened my private therapy practice about 6 years ago. I work to create a safe and secure environment where in each session, the world can slow down and together we can compassionately explore, understand, and transform behaviors, thoughts, and patterns that may be holding you back from ultimately living the life you want to live.
My style as a therapist is warm and challenging, direct and engaging. I know that no two clients are the same, and treat each client with a specific approach tailored to their wants and needs. You know yourself the best — I’m just here to help support and guide you through your own journey.
I work with individual clients experiencing self doubt or shame, life transitions, unhealthy coping mechanisms (substance use) or facing anxiety and depression. I help clients to rediscover themselves, identify their strengths , and get back to living a self-aware, fulfilled life.
For my couples’ work, many people have heard the name Gottman thrown around in the context of relationships and communication, but the actual Gottman Method is a very well research-based therapeutic and structured model to treat couples who are experiencing challenges in communication. The Gottman’s state that The Gottman Method model is utilized “to disarm conflicting verbal communication; increase intimacy, respect, and affection; remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy, and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship.”.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory was when I auditioned and was cast in my first musical theater production. I had always loved singing, dancing and acting, but I had never done those things in a formal manner. Fear and anxiety influenced me a great deal throughout my childhood. When I was cast in a junior production of “Damn Yankees,” my world opened up in ways I never thought possible. It provided me a new social structure, provided me the opportunity to engage in activity I loved and was passionate about, but most of all, it provided me a place to safely express myself. Although I didn’t know it at the time, it was first made me so interested in communication and studying the way people talk to one another, how feels are expressed, how everybody faces obstacles. I then went on to perform in approximately 50 amateur theatrical productions. Although I kept this part of my world strictly a hobby, it helped me in communicating effectively in all facets of my life. It was also the beginning of what lead me down a path of making communication, helping people, as part of my future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.minkpsychotherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinminklcsw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minkpsychotherapy
