Inspiring Conversations with Lindsay Burke of LIFTtherapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsay Burke.

Hi Lindsay, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina with miles of wooded area to run around, creeks to explore and black bears who would constantly try to get into our cat food in the garage. As one of three daughters, my parents through us into martial arts and I spent my early years training 4-6 days a week in karate, judo, jiu-jitsu and Filipino martial arts, under the instruction of Larry Hodges, “one of the scrappiest super-lightweights in both light and full contact” who competed and ranked nationally and was honored as one of North Carolina’s martial art’s “Legends” in 2022. It was an honor and privilege to train under such a master, which I did not fully come to appreciate until adulthood. During my training, I assisted Hodges in executing a volunteer Anti-Assault training program throughout numerous junior, high school and university programs serving “at risk” women and teen girls escaping domestic abuse situations, thus opening my eyes to the complexity of these survivors’ struggles and fueling my passion for supporting trauma survivors and pursuing the mental health field. I enrolled at the University of Kentucky in a pre-doctorate of physical therapy and sociology program to continue my studies, during which time I had the privilege of serving under Dr. Dorothy Edwards at the Violence Intervention and Prevention Center, training university systems, politicians and police forces on how to better support survivors of physical, sexual assault and stalking while also assisting in creating additional programming for the US Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women, on the ongoing prevention of perpetrator behavior.

After moving to Los Angeles, CA, I continued teaching and training in mixed martial arts as well as ventured into the yoga world, and began doing behavior intervention work with children and families.  I went on to pursue my Master’s in Counseling Psychology and licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Los Angeles, California, where I worked for years with deeply traumatized and emotionally disturbed adults and children, during which time I discovered the need for, and my passion for, addressing generational trauma. I learned the importance of not only helping adults heal early childhood trauma in order to discontinue unhealthy relationship patterns but teaching a new generation of parents how to raise children using a neuroscience-informed, attachment-based lens.  I gained various experiences working both as an individual therapist, case manager overseeing teams providing mental health services, in home behavior intervention work and served as a Director of an Early Intervention Agency for a period of time before diving fully into private practice. Additionally, I have had the pleasure of co-hosting for the podcast Single On Purpose, serving as a host for the Disney+ show, (Re)Connect, and contributing to various newspapers, podcasts, and radio shows such as The Chicago Tribune, Own Your Own Truth Podcast, and Business Insider Radio.

When I’m not working, you can usually find me outside on a hike and spending time with my family and very active border collie.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, it’s been a hot mess! Anyone with some life experience knows that most things really worth having do not come easily. It has been a lot of blood, sweat, tears, humbling failures and restarts. I went completely broke a few times, I have never had fewer than two jobs at a time, I have moved over 18 times and have learned the hard way that you cannot trust everyone, even some of those closest to you and especially some who I had naively put on pedestals. Becoming a parent in this modern world has definitely forced me to find my limitations and secure my “village,” clarify my values, and also showed me my internal and external strength I never knew I had. I came from a family of blue-collar 9 to 5ers, so I have had few to really guide me as an entrepreneur, which has meant needing to find mentors, self-educate, and required the courage to take as many educated risks as possible while enduring a whole lot of “learning the hard way.”

Coming from a martial arts background to a therapy now- I have most definitely learned that people would rather be punched in the face than talk about their feelings! There is still quite a stigma around mental health and the value of therapy. The generational gap in access to and education around more evidence-based neuroscience vast – we still live in a very “behavioral approach” world, even though we now know we are much more complex a species. Even I have had to overcome so much of my own struggle with these previous notions around how humans “tick.” I have had to un-learn so much, which has been and continues to be humbling. I absolutely love what I do and I am more passionate than ever about what I am teaching – the information I am aiming to share and normalize in the Westernized world, which has also forced me to, quite frankly, address my own trauma, codependency, and people-pleasing tendencies. The path of least resistance would often be much easier, but that’s just not my style. If I have nothing left, my integrity means everything to me. When I hear the success stories- like seeing little shifts in our society, friends trying out a therapist for the first time and excitedly telling me about it later, clients who have broken through some of the toughest trauma and come out on the other side…it makes it all worth it.

As you know, we’re big fans of LIFTtherapy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
With over 15 years of experience working with deeply traumatized and emotionally disturbed adults and children, and their families, in various home, school, clinical and hospital settings, I found my passion for addressing generational trauma by helping adults heal early childhood trauma and by teaching a new generation of parents how to raise children using an attachment-based, neuroscience informed, lens. I believe that human connection is the best medicine. So, I have made it my mission, working with integrity and humility, to contribute to the enhancement of the mental health and well-being of as many individuals, couples and families as possible through treatment, consultation, training and the dissemination of evidence-based information. When working with individuals, I believe in a personal, transparent, “keep-it-real” approach that preserves people’s dignity and restores their belief in their own ability to cope, change and grow. I believe that everyone has tremendous worth and an innate knowledge of their true needs. I aim to help them realize this.

Right now, I’m co-hosting the podcast Single On Purpose run by the infamous John Kim “The Angry Therapist” with the objective of “giving singlehood a cape,” as he puts it, where we aim to bring tools to individuals and couples on how to develop deeper, healthier and more meaningful relationships- creating that stronger, more secure base, for our future generations than what many of us had.

I have a new guides, workbooks and courses I will have up on my website soon! My first one- Escaping Narcissistic Abuse – is one of my most popular workshops and I will be pulling content from over a decade of research and treatment of clients with personality disorders to provide tools on managing relationships with some of the more manipulative and tricky dynamics many of us find ourselves in. A lot of the conventional “wisdom” you might find simply doesn’t work for these populations and navigating it alone can be painful and overwhelming. Check them out!

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I know, with certainty, that therapy works! Deep human connections heal. People grow and evolve, even out of the most horrific physical and psychological situations. I believe, with everything in me, that with some support and inspiration, all people can reach higher potentials than they could ever imagine. We also do not heal in isolation- we are a social species and we need one another. I am passionate about not just building up individuals but building and reviving the value of community. In every capacity around the world, mental health takes the back burner- in our homes, workplaces and medical facilities. Research, over and over, has proven how the state of our minds and emotions impact not only the individual but the success and stability of entire communities. How we think, solve problems, manage feelings and interact with one another impacts our whole world in immeasurable ways. Our strength, as the human race, starts from the inside out. A stable mental state is the base necessity in order to accomplish anything.

Pricing:

• $39 Quick Guide: Escaping Narcissistic Abuse
• $49 Kiss of the Porcupine: Love, Respect & Reconnect
• $29 Build Your Practice Guide

Contact Info:

• Website: www.LIFTtherapy.us
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifttherapy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindsayBurkeLMFT/
• Linkedin: https://tr.linkedin.com/company/lifttherapy
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LIFTtherapy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lifttherapy9863
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lifttherapy-los-angeles?osq=LIFttherapy

Image Credits
Image credits to: https://colleenallison.photoshelter.com/index/G0000r4_l0oO_58Y @colleenallisonphotography and https://www.youtube.com/@greatwhite31485 @raabephoto