Each month, the 'Day in the Life' series offers PACFA members the opportunity to share their personal and professional experience as dedicated Practising & Registered Clinical Counsellors and Registered Clinical Psychotherapists who embody the art and science of holding space for others.
This month, we follow the day with Certified Practising Counsellor & Psychotherapist, Kelsey Henrickson
About Kelsey
My name is Kelsey Hendrickson, I’m a PACFA Certified Practising Counsellor & Psychotherapist working in private practice, and a Yoga Therapist who runs corporate wellness programs and teaches group classes. Originally hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, I moved and settled in Sydney ten years ago where I’ve since started my own family.
My qualifications are a Bachelor Degree in Psychology (Hons.) from the USA, a Master’s Degree in Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy from Jansen Newman Institute (JNI) and a 2-year advanced clinical training in Gestalt Psychotherapy from The Relational Institute (TRIA).
I started my working career in a soul crushing marketing and advertising job in New York City. I spent those early years dying to do something with my life that fulfilled my heart but didn’t know what that was until I landed in a yoga class desperate for some stress relief. Teaching yoga and meditation was my purpose filled work for 11 years and since adding psychotherapy into the mix I feel I’ve really landed at home in my working career.
Due in large part to my many years teaching yoga, I work very somatically and mindfully, in the here and now, as a psychotherapist. I also love the relational and parts focused work from Gestalt Therapy and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS).
Throughout my week and month, I usually will meet with my individual supervisor and have group supervision. I’m immersed in a few different modalities of supervision which nicely cover all the styles of therapy I love; including Gestalt, Somatic and Relational.
When not seeing clients or on a slow day, I’ve been deep diving into the book Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment by Pat Ogden. Her worksheets and simple explanations have been a game changer for my clients.
To make sure I have enough connection and social support in my life I’m in a Gestalt Therapy reading group where we have been reading and discussing Trauma Therapy and Clinical Practice by Miriam Taylor. I also meet up with fellow graduates from the Masters of Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy every few months for drinks. Lastly, to keep up my own personal work, I am in therapy once a week with my long-time somatic therapist and in a monthly process group in the Yalom style.
A Day in the Life with Kelsey
I work 3 days in private practice as a psychotherapist and 2 days teaching yoga and running corporate wellness programs. Below is my private practice schedule - on an ideal day anyway - as it tends to do, life veers off its schedule from time to time.
5:30am: Wake Up & Exercise
I wake up and exercise (Pilates, Yoga, Weight training) in my living room or outside in the grass if the weather is nice enough. Doing something physical helps ground me into my body and into the present moment, a place I can lean into when I’m with clients later in the day.
6:00am – 7:30am: Chaos Reigns
Chaos reigns as my toddler wakes and we all get ready for the day ahead. Between my husband and I, we take turns showering, making breakfast -which is usually a smoothie and toast – getting my toddler dressed and all of our bags packed for the day ahead.
8:30am: Arrive at My Practice Clinic
When I arrive at my practice, Exclusive Wellbeing in Parramatta, I say hi to my colleagues. I’m very lucky to work in a practice with an inspiring group of counsellors and psychologists and an incredible administrative support person. I check my schedule for the day and any emails. I also pour some water for myself and my first client, then grab a coffee.
9:00am – 5:00pm: Time for Clients!
I see clients, do my admin, notes, reading, researching and networking. I see about 4 clients a day on average with an hour lunch break and ideally 30 minutes between each client to reset myself and my space.
I have a few regular routines pre and post client sessions which really help me stay connected and present to myself and each individual in the room with me:
Pre-Client Ritual: Before each client, I usually spray the office with something that smells nice to clear the space. I tune into my own system and see how I’m feeling about my upcoming client. Right before session, I’ll engage in some somatic exercises to either ground, shake out excess energy, take some deep breaths, whatever it is I feel I need to do to connect and be clear.
Post-Client: I sit down to write notes, consider what happened in the session, consolidate any learnings in my own head.
Mid-Day: Break Time
The clinic where I run my private practice, Exclusive Wellbeing, has a lovely outdoor patio and a break room, where I often will eat lunch and catch up with my colleagues. I share practice space with 6 psychologists and an incredible administrative support person who manages the office and looks after all of us.
5pm: Head Home!
On my drive home I listen to music or a therapy podcast, I’m currently on a Taylor Swift binge and loving the podcast Other People’s Problems from Hillary McBride.
I have a ritual of stopping on my drive to get a treat (my current choice is sweet chili and sour cream chips). Eating helps me to disconnect from the day of clients, reconnect to myself and get ready for the evening of dinner and toddler bedtime routines.
After reading all this back, I’m wondering both how I actually manage to fit it all in and feeling proud to have organised a full, purpose driven, meaningful life.
Connect with Kelsey
Website
Instagram
Open the door on your day
The ‘Day in the Life’ series is created and edited by PACFA Registered Clinical Psychotherapist® and founder of The Psychosynthesis Centre, Jodie Gale.
Each month, the ‘A Day in the Life’ series will offer participating PACFA members the opportunity to share their unique personal and professional experience as dedicated Practising & Registered Clinical Counsellors and Registered Clinical Psychotherapists who embody the art and science of holding space for others. Click here to read more and to find out how you can open the door on your day.