A LETTER TO MY FELLOW KDH TRAVELERS

When I first entered this profession, I carried a constant sense of inadequacy. Who was I to sit in "the chair" and help others? This feeling drove me to seek countless trainings, but it took a toll on my mental health. My anxiety and perfectionism skyrocketed, and I found solace in exercising excessively. I became obsessed with achieving, but in the end, I was left to battle the therapy mountain alone.

Building a Strong Team

Success in this challenging profession is hard to measure when our work is so solitary. As I climbed that mountain on my own, I realized that I didn't want to do it alone. I yearned for a team. At first, it was a purely business decision prompted by sage advice from my brother. But as I attempted to hire others, I faced painful experiences. It was difficult to find therapists that fit and maneuver expectations openly.  

During that difficult beginning phase, I shed many tears. But I came to understand that this is a business, not a personal attack on me. Taking ownership allowed me to find people who truly shared my vision and become part of my dream. And so, a team began to develop, and continues to evolve.

I fondly recall my first perfect fit. We worked together in a consulting capacity, and she taught me so much about attuning to my fellow travelers who I served through this consultation process. Leadership is about service and accountability, and eventually, she outgrew me. Nevertheless, I have a deep appreciation for her. It was during this time that my next phase of business development began. However, she wasn't interested in joining the next project.  KDH team culture is about choice, and respecting those choices. It's a KDH core value. So even though she did not continue with us, she is here in spirit.

Evolution of KDH Collective Brain

Here's a secret about me: my brain never stops creating. I always have another idea waiting in the wings. And so, I hired my first employee, and she has been an absolute joy to work with. We share a passion for knowledge, and even though we have different approaches, I am constantly humbled by witnessing her success in therapy. Witnessing her take on things reminds me that there are countless ways to approach our work. Our differences are based on personal values and knowledge in our field. The next step was finding another lover of knowledge, and then another, and another.

Realizing my dream has profoundly impacted me. I couldn't have achieved it alone, nor would I have wanted to. Being a therapist can be a lonely job, but sharing it with like-minded colleagues has created a wealth of shared knowledge that never fails to amaze me. It pulls me deeper into this realm of understanding.

For the sake of our profession, where we often find ourselves alone in a room with clients, shared knowledge, experience, and reflection are essential for our growth as therapists and as humans.

Our team is a constant source of discourse, disagreement, reflection, and ultimately, a coming together to create valuable classes and information that improve all of us. This ongoing open process is vital and continues to shape our collective brain, now known as KDH Collective, and is being development into live continuing education webinars, e-books and, eventually books.

To all the incredible women who have joined me on this journey, thank you for being honest and for walking alongside me. Your honesty allows us all to learn and grow. Even if the time comes for some of you to move on, please know that there will always be a special place reserved for you here. I will forever be grateful to all of you for being the first to embark on this therapy mountain expedition together.

I don't know where this creation would be with out every single one of you, And I don't know where this creation will lead us.

but I do know that I cannot and would not want to do it alone. Thank you!