Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Bradshaw.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I began struggling with my mental health as a young teenager. I saw my first therapist then and it was the first time I actually felt like someone was listening to me. I remember thinking then that I would absolutely love to grow up and help others like that therapist helped me. Unfortunately, as an adolescent there isn’t much of your life that you can control and living in a chaotic environment caused me to continue to struggle with depression and eventually led me to drop out of high school. After that, I was convinced that being a therapist just wasn’t in the cards for me. After working as a cocktail waitress for a few years, I met my now-husband. We got pregnant and as soon as I met my son, it felt really important for me to go to college. I wanted to show my son that hard work pays off, although I wasn’t really sure what that looked like at the time. And then I took my first psychology course. It felt so validating to learn about mental health and mental illness and to finally feel less isolated. It also reminded me of that sweet therapist that I saw a few times when I was 12, and I thought maybe I can do this. It took a few more years of college for me to truly believe I was capable of getting into graduate school and becoming a therapist. By this time, I had been through major depression as an adolescent, as well as postpartum depression and anxiety after my son was born. As an adult, I went back to therapy and it was life-changing for me. I have continued therapy on and off for many years now. Everything seemed to be coming together and I began graduate school in 2018. Unfortunately, the day before I was to start my second year, I had a miscarriage. It broke me. I took a year off of grad school and dove headfirst into healing both my heart and my body. I spent a lot of time in therapy, practiced yoga more days than not, and just took time to grieve this loss. I came back to graduate school the following year with a (mostly) healed heart and a perfectly healthy rainbow baby (a baby born after a previous loss). Finishing graduate school with two children was not easy, yet it was so rewarding. I graduated in May 2022 and received my counseling license in June. Although being a therapist is challenging, I feel so incredibly honored that people choose me to share their stories with. I do not think I could ever take that for granted. My experiences in life led me to be very passionate about helping others navigate their lives, and I wouldn’t change a thing I went through.
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?
I mentioned a lot of these details in the previous section but it definitely has not been a smooth road.
I struggled with Major Depressive Disorder & Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder) for many years as an adolescent. After my son was born, I struggled with postpartum anxiety & depression. Going to college while raising a young child was challenging as well. I also have an autoimmune disease called Psoriatic Arthritis that took years of me being in pain before receiving a diagnosis. I struggle with chronic pain more days than not. I had a miscarriage the day before my second year of graduate school, and then went back to graduate school with an 8-year-old and a newborn, all at home during the covid lockdown. I completed my practicum and internship with a 1-year-old in daycare who didn’t have much of an immune system because she spent her first year in covid lockdown, which led to her being really sick more often than not. Finally, trying to juggle being a working mom while having a requirement to reach a certain number of clinical hours in order to be eligible for graduation was difficult.
There were so many struggles, but I also want to mention that I experienced so much joy as well. I am a huge fan of gratitude and I am grateful for all of my struggles because they helped me realize my strength.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I currently work at Houston Psychotherapists, Inc. in Cypress, Texas. I counsel adolescents and adults using DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy). I also help co-facilitate a DBT based Intensive Outpatient Program through The Prism Center-Cypress and have done that for over a year now. Because of this, I have a lot of experience in DBT, and have seen the benefit of using this form of therapy. DBT helps clients learn and use skills that help them regulate their emotions and manage their behaviors. I truly believe these skills are beneficial to all people. I am most proud of the trusting relationships I have developed with my clients and being able to watch their progress. I think what sets me apart from others is that I know how truly hard life can be. I definitely don’t claim to know exactly how my clients are feeling or that my experiences are the same as theirs, but my empathy comes from a place of understanding pain.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I learned something in graduate school that really stuck with me. Networking is a two-way street. People are more likely to help you if you have something to offer them, or you can help them in the future. So when I am meeting others in this field, I try to keep that in mind.
Pricing:
- I charge $125 per counseling session and I do not currently accept insurance. I do work on a sliding scale though, so if you can’t afford my fees, please let me know, and maybe we can work something out.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.houstonpsychotherapists.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/houstonpsychotherapists
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057556355081
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/emily-bradshaw-cypress-tx/995857
