Meet Holly Essler-Boos of Empowering You Therapy in Tempe

Thanks for sharing your story with us Holly. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I am a therapist and the owner of Empowering You Therapy LLC, located in the heart of downtown Tempe. My office is located within blocks of the ASU campus; right off of Mill Avenue and University Drive. The location makes therapy services easy and accessible to students and working professionals in the area.

I provide individual therapy to adults and adolescents. I believe in empowering others to live their life as the best version of themselves.

I attended the University of North Dakota and graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2012. I began working as a medical case manager in a local hospital. I was given the opportunity to work with a wide range of clients and other disciplines. I transitioned from the hospital to working as a treatment foster care case manager for a foster care agency. Working in foster care was not an easy job, and I learned a lot about myself throughout the journey. I found myself wanting to help people struggling on a deeper level. I worked with therapists closely and enjoyed seeing the work they did. I knew that being a therapist was my calling.

Pursuing my calling, I went on to graduate school at the University of North Dakota and graduated with my master’s degree in Social Work in 2015. I took a job back in my hometown of Dickinson, ND working as an outpatient therapist in community mental health. I found myself working with a very diverse range of clients. I was providing therapy to adults, adolescents, couples, families, and substance abuse populations. I provided crisis counseling services in rural North Dakota, where resources were scarce. Crisis counseling was incredibly challenging. I didn’t see myself doing that for my whole career. I am grateful for the amount of personal growth I found within myself to be strong, think outside of the box, and manage to help clients through a crisis while keeping the most important goal in mind—their safety.

My husband and I moved to Phoenix, coming up on a year ago in August. He took a job opportunity, and we were both excited about what the future held for us. I knew I wanted this next step in my life to include pursuing my passion of empowering others through therapy and helping those who struggle to find a voice within themselves.

I formed Empowering You Therapy in November of 2018 and opened my location in Tempe in February of 2019. It has been an amazing journey so far!

Has it been a smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road along the way.

For starters, it was a huge adjustment moving from my home state of North Dakota to Arizona. When forming my business, I had to navigate new territory of building a business from scratch. In my social work graduate program, they didn’t offer any classes on business, marketing, or much related to starting a private practice. I had to figure out how to market my business, grow my practice, network, and make connections within the community.

The most growth happened in those first few months of business, not just within my practice, but within myself. I learned the “roller coaster” with the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. I did something I encourage my clients to do all the time—be vulnerable and take risks. It has been such a rewarding experience so far, and I continue to learn more each day as new opportunities present themselves.

I look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the community and help spread the message of what it means to be ‘empowered.’

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Empowering You Therapy – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am a licensed clinical social worker in Arizona and North Dakota. I provide in-person therapy and am excited to now be offering online therapy.

I provide individual therapy to adults and adolescents. I specialize in treating depression, anxiety, and trauma. I see many students being so close to ASU and treat those struggling with life transitions, test anxiety, relationship issues, social anxiety, and all the challenges that young adults can face.

I believe in an Empowering Approach; Even though one may not realize it, we all have many skills and strengths within us. I build upon those skills and strengths and use those attributes to help reach my client’s goals. The word empowerment means, “gaining back a sense of control.” I essentially work on giving clients back a sense of control in their lives over their struggles and setbacks.

I primarily utilize CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as my treatment modality. I do have an eclectic approach and use mindfulness techniques and relaxation techniques related to DBT (Dialectical behavior therapy). I am also certified in TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), which is an evidence-based treatment modality for those who suffer from trauma, PTSD, and a broad array of emotional and behavioral concerns.

My experience working in many different practice settings has given me the opportunity to help people with many diverse backgrounds overcome obstacles in their life.

I truly believe that “It’s okay to not be okay.” I will continue to impress upon others that mental health is just as important as physical health! I am passionate about working to end the stigma that surrounds mental health and seeking help when we don’t feel like ourselves.

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
The proudest moment of my career so far has been opening the doors to Empowering You Therapy! For as long as I can remember, running my own private practice has always been a dream of mine.

I am proud of how much my practice has grown since February, and I am excited to be hiring another therapist who will be starting in August.

I am proud to be empowering others through therapy!