Today we’d like to introduce you to Jean Pappalardo.
Jean, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Throughout my life, I’ve been the person people confided in, the one they told their secrets. I pride myself on being an empathic, curious and caring person. For me being a psychotherapist is a calling to provide a non-judgmental, supportive space for people.
I started my path as a therapist at the Los Angeles LGBT Center where I worked with LGBTQ+ individuals and groups coping with depression, anxiety, HIV/AIDs, sexual and gender identity issues within ethnically and culturally diverse populations.
After a few years there, I wanted to expand my reach. I wanted to help more people and focus my knowledge and experience in my own business. Finding and securing my office was serendipitous, it was confirmation I was on the right path to creating a warm space to welcome my clients. The time and effort between my initial inquiry and moving in were effortless and I knew I wanted to be in the Mar Vista/Culver City neighborhood to serve my community.
It was my passion to have a private practice to provide specialized counseling services for individual and couples who are looking to make changes in their lives through a collaborative, authentic therapeutic relationship.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I am lucky and grateful to say it has been a smooth road for a few reasons. Mainly because I believed wholeheartedly in what I was doing, I didn’t question it. Even when there were bumps in the road they were to be expected and I took them as an opportunity for growth. Even the idea of a “smooth road” is subjective. I think when we’re presented with adversity it gives us a chance to look at things with a new perspective, a curiosity. The name of my practice came from the Walt Whitman quote, “Be curious, not judgmental”. Instead of judging and feeling bad about ourselves, we can be curious about emotions and problems in our lives. Without judgment, in the way, we become open to learning from difficulty.
Be Curious Therapy – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Be Curious Therapy is a private practice providing counseling services in Mar Vista. I own the business and am the sole therapist at the company. I absolutely love working with people who are engaged and ready for a change in their lives. I specialize in working with People of Color, LGBTQ+, gender & sexual fluidity, gender & sexual identity, sex therapy, polyamory, BDSM/kink affirming and the intersectionality of two or all of these identities. I enjoy and work effectively with both individuals and couples.
I am most proud to be a therapist who allows a person to “come as they are” and invite them to get know themselves on their terms. I don’t have my own agenda except to guide, support and collaborate with the client’s own path of discovery and growth. I am proud to offer a space for those who have been marginalized and really need a place to talk where they feel accepted and not judged.
What sets me apart as a therapist is my specialized cultural competency, continued training and my own work as a therapy client. I am a Human Sexuality Ph.D. student in addition to working towards sex therapist certification.
Through my own work, I am able to identify with the struggles that come along with the therapeutic process. I understand that each person has unique needs and one size does not fit all. Each client receives individualized care and collaboration. I invite my clients to be a part of their process as they learn to identify their emotions and advocate for their needs.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Actually, I tend to think of success as a dirty word. Notions of success are a social construct and I think people compare themselves to ideals that don’t feel authentic. This can lead to feelings of low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. That being said, for me, success is about resiliency and having the ability to come out of a seemingly difficult situation stronger and wiser than before. If you learn and grow, you can’t go wrong!
Pricing:
- Free 15 minute consultation
Contact Info:
- Address: Be Curious Therapy
Jean Pappalardo, LMFT
Washington Place Plaza
11600 Washington Place Suite 203
Los Angeles, CA 90066 - Website: www.becurioustherapy.com
- Phone: 3235531971
- Email: [email protected]
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
