Meet Selena Soni of MUV Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Selena Soni.

Hi Selena, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always felt like social work was in my blood, and in about 7th grade, I started to think about wanting to be a therapist. I have a dear uncle who spent a great deal of time with me as a kid, and he was a clinical social worker with a private practice.

My uncle was passionate about his work, and I think seeing someone love and find meaning every day was something that inspired me even as a young kid.

Fast forward to 2002, I was applying to graduate school, and while I thought about other careers and degrees, they didn’t spark excitement, so Clinical Social Work it was.

I completed a master’s degree in social work and set off on my career/adventure, which led me to private practice after five years in the field. The five years I spent training at the Maricopa County Psychiatric hospital gave me a clinical foundation. It exposed me to more rare psychiatric and comorbid medical illnesses, which truly informed my practice and helped me find my niche working with individuals facing anxiety, bipolar disorders, and life transitions.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My road to MUV Counseling was not always smooth but, come on, anyone who opens a business faces challenges. I opened MUV Counseling wanting to help clients expand and grow.

I decided I wanted to incorporate Walk + Talk therapy into my practice which many people questioned given therapy is confidential. Everyone thinks of going into a therapist’s office and getting comfortable on a couch (I do have a couch in my office).

The reality is people are doing video sessions and phone sessions which requires the clients to make a greater effort to protect their own confidentiality, so all I am asking is the client decide if walking on a trail or the canals of Scottsdale feels as secure as an electronic option to them; if that isn’t comfortable they can come into my private office in Scottsdale.

If a client is comfortable walking, we hit the trails, and I must say my clients who walk with me from October to May have done incredible work. Overall, It’s been paying off to take the road less traveled.

We’ve been impressed with MUV Counseling, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
MUV counseling is a place to work through anxiety, depression, and the stuck points that are holding you back from the life you want. I specialize in helping individual adults 18+ who spend too much time on their problems and anxiety work through their unhelpful patterns and build a toolbox of coping skills.

MUV counseling’s flexible settings really set me apart from other providers in the area; You can Walk + Talk (it’s Arizona, so walking sessions are from October – May). You can come into the office (I’m open with COVID precautions) and I offer telehealth/video sessions on a HIPAA secure platform.

MUV counseling is literally demonstrating the flexibility clients want when they are looking for a therapist. Once a person has decided it’s time for therapy, they just need to decide, “Where do you want to meet?”

What I am really proud of at MUV Counseling is my ongoing commitment to answering the phone! I personally answer my office phone, so whether you are just calling to ask questions or you’re ready to schedule – I am committed to keeping personalized services available from the start.

I really love helping a person get started on their mental health journey, whether it’s with me or another provider who better fits a client’s needs.

Any big plans?
This Fall/Winter, I plan to offer two new group therapy options. Anxiety group therapy. And a group focused on adjusting to changes. The topics include: anxiety, adjusting to new medical diagnosis, and coping with change. These groups will incorporate psycho-education, skill-building, and walk + talk. Hopefully, this will take the pressure off walking into a room of strangers because you won’t be walking into a room at all!

Pricing:

• 150 – Initial Evaluation
• 120 – for ongoing therapy
• 360 – 6 week group

Contact Info:

• Email: selena@muvcounseling.com
• Website: https://muvcounseling.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muv_counseling/
• Facebook: @muvcounseling

Image Credits
Pictures of Selena Claudia Johnstone dasFOTOhaus