Meet Lucy Sladek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lucy Sladek.

Hi Lucy, 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 inviting me, and I am happy to share my story.

My parents emigrated from El Salvador to Inglewood in the early 80s during the civil war. While they did their best, the war’s emotional impact still trickled down within our family system. As a result, I found myself navigating my parent’s trauma when I was a child. I eventually ended up seeing a psychiatrist in my teenage years due to severe depression and what I now know were C-PTSD symptoms. I have seen many different therapists since then, but I struggled to find someone that reflected my experience. I continued my therapy search throughout my twenties and found the right fit in my early thirties. My struggles in finding a therapist influenced my decision to pursue this profession.

I have always worked with children and teens, so I worked at a private school on the west side after graduating with my Bachelor’s. One year a student shared their trans identity with the school, and no one knew how to affirm this kid’s experience or could understand what was happening to them. That’s when I decided to go to grad school and get my Masters in Clinical Psychology. While I am a cis-human, I found myself relating the experience of not being seen or understood. I wanted to create a new experience for others and gain the knowledge needed to support various communities. After graduating, I moved to the Bay area and worked in community mental health. I worked for multiple non-profits for six years before I was diagnosed with cancer.

Once I was in remission, I decided to leave community mental health. I started my private telehealth practice during the pandemic, and I absolutely love it! I love the freedom to move at my client’s pace and create long-lasting relationships. I feel honored and humbled to be in a profession I respect, love, and enjoy.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Most of the struggles along the way have been my self-doubt and dysregulation. Finding a therapist for myself was particularly hard because everyone I encountered had one dominant life experience, and those therapists would often say ignorant and dismissive statements. Those experiences impacted my self-esteem and confidence because I assumed their professional opinion was correct, and I was “being dramatic or sensitive.”

Fortunately, I found mentors and allies in my graduate program. They helped me see that my life experience was valuable, that my experiences were actually happening (and not imagined), and that they were an important story to share. I still struggle with confidence, but I breathe, connect to my body, ask my ancestors for guidance, and trust the process. It’s not easy, and I don’t always get it right – but it has helped me soften my relationship with myself.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I specialize in working with trauma survivors, gender expansive folx, and folx who are transitioning. I approach my work from a trauma-informed and gender-affirming lens. I am most proud of my continued education on working with trauma in the body. I am in my third year of Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing training. In addition, I am in the first International BIPOC Cohort, which has been transformational. I have learned how to connect with my nervous system in order to support, witness, and co-regulate someone else’s nervous system. And as a member of the kink community, I also enjoy working with others to support healing and the navigation of trauma reactions if they happen. I am a therapist who is always doing my own work and learning new ways to be present with my clients in their joy and pain. I also like to think I am funny and can gracefully add humor to my sessions.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The pandemic taught me to slow down and trust myself to be capable of setting emotional boundaries in my relationships. I realized I was caught up in healing the world and forgot to heal myself. I genuinely believe that your whole self is always present in the room when you do this kind of work. I took the time to assess my relationship with myself and others to re-engage with my clients more deeply. I find that when I am calm and slow, I trust my intuition and show up authentically. I keep returning to this idea and hope to give this gift to my clients as well.

Pricing:

• $225 50 minute individual session
• $325 75 minute couples session

Contact Info:

• Website: www.themftisin.com
• Other: https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/california/los-angeles/lucy-sladek