Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Kara Gasperone of Uptown Phoenix

Kara Gasperone shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Kara, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Who are you learning from right now?
Right now I am learning from my students! I started teaching this semester in the Master’s program for Marriage and Family Therapy at ASU. The program is highly accelerated and advanced and my cohort of 20 students is impressively motivated and bright. Their enthusiasm and curiosity remind me what’s wonderful about my career, and I’m excited to see what they’re excited about!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Kara, a licensed marriage and family therapist and university professor. I own and operate a small group therapy practice called New Sun Counseling and I teach in the Master of Advanced Study in Marriage and Family Therapy program at Arizona State University. My vibe is laid-back, approachable, and unserious. I’m passionate about providing excellent and accessible care for people interested in “not your typical therapist” therapists, and I love mentoring a new group of professionals in the field through my work as a clinical supervisor and professor.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
I have had the most incredible work mentors within my own family. My dad started his own business when I was a teenager, and my mom did all the business management for his brand. My mom had a long and successful career managing finances and operations for several different businesses. Both of my grandfathers were small business owners, and my maternal grandmother was a college professor. My family taught and modeled the value of work ethic, integrity, and passion for your work. They have all been my biggest cheerleaders and supporters through my education and career!

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
It’s ok to make mistakes! Not only is it ok, it’s normal! And people will offer grace and understanding! I have incredibly high expectations of myself after a childhood in gifted education. While I am extremely grateful for my experience in gifted programming, it did leave me with an overwhelming need to appear highly capable and flawless at all times. As I have aged (and received excellent mental health treatment), I have allowed myself to relax some of these expectations.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I think my closest friends would say that authenticity matters to me most. That others feel safe in relationships with me, that I can be comfortable and celebrated being my authentic self, and that my relationships have the expectation of vulnerability and showing up exactly as you are. I also strongly believe that everyone deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, and kindness – not just in my therapy office or my ASU classroom, but everywhere, always.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop overworking. My relationship with work, like many Americans, is challenging! I care about it a lot, I spend a lot of time doing it, and it can tip the scales into unhealthy territory despite my efforts to keep things balanced. Being self employed means that I have flexibility, but no checks and balances. It also offers me the opportunity to take time off when I want to, travel when I want to, and build my schedule in such a way that I have time for self care (exercise, friends and family, caring for my home). I would say this is my constant work in progress 🙂

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.newsuncounseling.com
• Instagram: @newsuncounseling
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/kara-gasperone-phoenix-az/438670