Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Welsch.
Natalie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2009, my younger brother was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was 12 years old and had never experienced a medical crisis like that, let alone watch my brother fight for his life more than once. While he underwent care, I was exposed to a team of people who not only looked out for my brother’s mental well-being, but that of myself and my family. In those years, I learned a lot about mental health and the importance of addressing those needs, the same way you would address any other medical concern. I learned about my emotions, how to express them more appropriately and how to be a support to my family through one of the most difficult seasons I have ever experienced. It is from this that I grew in my interest to pursue mental health as a profession. I went on to gain my B.S. in Psychology and through a mentor learned about the role of a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Originally, I was in pursuit of becoming a psychiatrist but quickly realized that I didn’t need the ability to prescribe medication to be just as helpful to another human being. A few years go by and I gain my M.Ed in Counseling from the University of Houston. I remember those first few years of practice like it was yesterday. Cliché, I know, but I believe that as a counselor we never quite lose that imposter syndrome type feeling. With each mock client I worked with, case study I studied, diagnosis I worked to remember, I came closer and closer to fulfilling what I always hoped to do. My goal has always been and will always be to provide help to those that feel or have felt as helpless as I did at 12 years old. Since gaining my associate license and working in both a private practice and public agency setting, I have had the honor to serve a variety of people from different walks of life. I now work with both adolescent and adult clients on a spectrum of mental health concerns. I feel strongly that mental health is important no matter who you are. My door is always open to those who need it and I feel proud to have gotten to where I am in my career today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would be lying if I told you it was always easy. Namely, my first moment of discomfort on my journey to becoming a therapist was moving from pre-med to general psychology in my undergraduate education. I had an academic advisor who encouraged me outright to stay pre-med because “psychology would get you nowhere.” I still remember that moment to this day and when I walked out of my certification exam, passing licensure test scores in hand, I would also be lying if I said I didn’t think back on that moment and hoped that she would find out one day that I proved her wrong. When I got into my graduate program, the struggles became more about managing a full time job and academics. I worked hard in those years and I am thankful I will never have to do that again. Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate has had its fair share of challenges too but it’s been more about adjusting to the role, trusting my own clinical judgment and feeling comfortable enough to ask for help. I am lucky to be a part of two teams, at Martin Counseling and the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, who provide me with the assurance that I am a good therapist, that I know what I’m doing as a mental health professional and that my work is important. I think every new clinician would agree with me when I say, joining such a rigorous profession comes with some bumps and bruises. That’s the name of the game when your job is to help other people through difficult transitions, emotional hurdles, and associated symptoms to mental health. Those initial hurdles and the ones that will eventually come my way are just a testament to how important this field is. The challenges are what build strong clinicians.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I currently work in two settings, private practice, and a public agency. I started my career as a counselor at Martin Counseling in Katy, TX. I provide therapy services to a wider age range with clients as young as age 13 with no end cap. I work most consistently with adolescent clients at the practice and I am known for my structured format. I prioritize not only teaching my younger clients about mental health but also addressing their needs through activities and handouts that help normalize their experience. I try to make session a lighter space, especially with how stigmatizing therapy can be for adolescent clients. After my introduction to private practice came public agency work and I currently serve on the clinical team at the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD as a Master Level Clinician. I work from the Northeast Clinic and serve the NE quadrant of Houston. My work at the agency consists of providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) services to adult clients in conjunction with our psychiatric department. I work on a care team to help provide comprehensive mental health assistance to each of my clients. In addition to therapy services, I also assist clients in navigating life transitions, finding resources to address barriers to services and learning skills to improve their quality of life. I am fortunate to work in two settings with a diverse caseload, encompassing a wide variety of mental health concerns. I think what sets me apart from other mental health providers is that due to my ever-changing caseloads, I am always growing as a clinician. I consistently learn new things on the job and have, over the past few years, developed a therapeutic technique unique to me. I am most proud of my ability to adapt to the needs of my clients. Each case is novel and requires a different approach, something I strive to provide to any individual who enters my care.
As a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, I am under the supervision of David Martin, MA, LPC-S. I started my career as a counselor at Martin Counseling in Katy, TX.
What makes you happy?
This is an interesting question. There are a lot of things that make me happy but something that ranks pretty high up the list is that I get to do what I was meant to do for a living. I get to help others the same way that care team helped me all those years ago. I get to celebrate the wins of my clients and support them in the losses. I get to teach my clients new things and encourage them to advocate for themselves every day. It is one of the greatest honors of my life to be a therapist. To stand up for those who cannot stand on their own right now and eventually get to stand by them when they do. It brings me immense joy to do my work while surrounded by two supportive teams who lift me up in support along the way. It also makes me happy that I get to work in two different settings with a lot of different people. I feel thankful every day to call myself a counselor and look forward to the years of growth and learning to come.
Contact info:
Image Credits
Photography by Lee Beckmann
Photo Editing by Grace Guarniere with Guarniere Designs
