Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Jacqueline Fulcher of North Phoenix

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jacqueline Fulcher. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Jacqueline, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I love to have coffee every morning and watch the desert landscape in my backyard. Looking at the sky first thing in the morning provides me with the calm and reset I need to focus before I start my day. I help to get my children off to school while I take care of my beagle and basset hound. During the times in between, I will check my emails, look at news headlines for the day, and visit Instagram for psychology quotes on mindfulness and motivation to help get my day off in the right direction.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a clinical psychologist and owner of Painted Owl Psychology, LLC. I provide online therapy to individuals and couples seeking help with anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and motivation. I have been in the field for over 20 years as a psychologist and social worker helping individuals to improve their self-esteem and find more balance within their life and work. I currently serve on the Board of Directors at United Cerebral Palsy of Southern Arizona, and I am very passionate about their mission and work within the community.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
As a therapist, I see many fractured relationships as well as relationships that have been fully repaired. The common theme between each of these seems to be communication. With limited or unhealthy communication patterns, relationships often become broken. When neither person makes an effort to repair or restore this communication, relationships become even more fractured and distant. To restore a relationship, someone often has to take the first step. This can be uncomfortable, demanding, and vulnerable. Sometimes, the effort someone shows by taking this first step can do a lot to break down barriers and allow the other person to let down their guard and communicate fully. However, oftentimes improved communication comes from taking a step back, trying to understand things from the other’s perspective, and learning to pick battles and find a way to move forward. Therapy can help to either repair fractured relationships, or decide when it is best to end a relationship to move on. Communication is difficult in all relationships, and it is ok to struggle. Please reach out to a therapist if you are struggling and seeking advice.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I struggled a lot with my younger self in terms of confidence and self-esteem. While this helped me ultimately to become a better therapist, it still caused me heartache and stress throughout my life. It took the kindness of a mentor to show me the negative self-talk I had been placing on myself, and how I could learn to improve the way I speak to myself. Through working on my self-esteem, I was able to finally see the wonderful aspects of myself and my role within the world. It is easy to focus on the negative parts of ourselves, and we can become stuck in these negative thought loops. But with making a conscious decision to speak to myself more kindly, I was able to build up my self-esteem and encourage myself to take risks despite my fears. If I could speak with my younger self, I would encourage her to start working on her self-esteem earlier, and speak kinder to herself daily.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I believe that kindness is a choice that must be made over and over again every day. We are given multiple chances to either choose kindness or to promote negativity. Every interaction we have in our daily life allows us to take a step back and see things from another’s perspective in order to choose calm and patience. Every barista, store clerk, and co-worker gets to see the version of us we project. If we choose to project kindness, we can can truly impact the world around us in hundreds of ways every day. On days when it’s difficult to choose kindness, I try to do a check-in with myself to understand if I’m struggling that day with anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns. Then I work to use my coping skills, or simply take a break and refuse to engage in non-kind communication when possible.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am in nature with my family. Being in nature gives me a chance to recharge and see the beauty of the world around me. This allows me to reset and understand better my motivation and my place within the world. Being with my family allows me to feel connected and hopeful for my future. Combining the two allows me to feel excited about the future and allows me to practice the mindfulness techniques that help me to absorb the beauty in the present moment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.paintedowlpsychology.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paintedowlpsychology
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-fulcher-phd/
• Twitter: https://x.com/LlcPainted
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaintedOwlPsychology