Exploring Life & Business with Katie Tiffany of East Valley PTSD Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Tiffany.

Hi Katie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to teach. I was passionate about sharing things with others! I started my career as an elementary and middle school teacher. While I loved teaching and loved the students, there were things about the school system that needed to be more manageable for me and were difficult to change. One day, while teaching, I thought my classroom seemed like a vast therapy room! So, it only made sense to go into counseling. I received my education in the counseling field while I continued to teach. I fully transitioned into full-time counseling in 2017. I have a passion for working with people who experience symptoms of PTSD. The reason I love working with this population is because there is tremendous growth. When one understands what is happening and why, they become empowered, and massive shifts start to unfold. Witnessing this process is the most rewarding thing I have experienced.

Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Ha! A smooth road, no, it has not been. Early in my career as a therapist, my mom passed away suddenly. She was my best friend and my mentor. She was a social worker, so we had a lot in common. I didn’t know how to process that grief while helping others through their own. I learned from that that my lived experiences make me better apt to walk someone through a similar experience.

As you know, we’re big fans of East Valley PTSD Counseling. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with the brand?
My practice is in the East Valley, and we provide in-person and online therapy. We specialize in PTSD/trauma. We also see couples and provide group therapy. I work with two other therapists, and they are both phenomenal and passionate about what they do. We have weekend and evening appointments available, as well. I am most proud of the personal connection we make with our clients. When each client comes in, we see them as an individual and not a case number. We look at them as a whole person and discuss with them as individuals what their goals are in therapy. We create a plan with the client to determine the best treatment for them. I also believe in providing many other supports and resources for people as they heal from trauma. We cannot heal in a room for 55 min a week with one other person (this is why groups are so powerful). But because I believe so strongly in the power of groups, I also offer meditation, movement, mindfulness nights, a writing circle for sexual assault survivors, wellness retreats, and other connection opportunities (art night, vision boards, etc.).

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I am a huge risk taker (with caution). Ha! I am a Sagittarius, so I seem to be naturally drawn to adventure and new ideas. Being a business owner is a risk in itself. When I started the business, I had no idea what it would become; I had no guarantee that it would provide services to so many people. I had a vision, and my intuition told me it would work, but there were no guarantees. I took risks to start groups and provide services I believed would benefit the community wholeheartedly. When I hear a need or see a need for one of my clients or a community member, I will do what I can to make an opportunity for healing. This is how my writing circle for sexual assault survivors started. I heard and saw a need for women to connect and be able to write about and talk about their shared experiences in a way they may have never been able to before. We have been meeting together for about a year now. My thought on risk is that if I don’t take the risk, I will never know what could have been. If I crash and burn, at least I tried. I’m not scared of crashing and burning; I’m afraid of never trying to do anything new.

Pricing:

• $150 per 55 minute session

Contact Info:

• Website: https://eastvalleyptsdcounseling.com/
• Other: https://connectingandcoaching.com/

Image Credits
Linda Campbell