We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Ricard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, is there something you believe many others might not?
“You just need to learn how to accept it.”

As humans, we inherently want to be helpful. We want to fix problems and make the bad sh*t go away, especially for the people we love. So when we don’t know what to do or how to fix it for them, we often resort to telling other people (or ourselves) that we just need to learn how to accept it. And on the surface that sounds great! It would make life so much easier if we could just accept the rough spots and move on. Although… if it were that easy, wouldn’t we have done it already?

One of my favorite parts of therapy is helping people give themselves the permission to feel whatever is coming up for them. When we can acknowledge the way we’re feeling and have space for that to be okay, something inside of us settles a bit. The anger is a little less hot, the sadness becomes a bit more bearable, and things overall suddenly don’t feel as intense. The acceptance comes after the acknowledgement of the feeling, and that’s when the healing begins.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I am absolutely living the dream. I love the work that I do and the people that I have the opportunity to work with. That’s what I’m most excited about! And although I can’t deny that there have been difficult parts, I have also had a lot of fortune.

Owning and working in my own private practice had never crossed my mind. In fact, if I’m being honest, I was pretty anti-owning-my-own-business. But when the wildness of 2020 hit the universe strong armed me into making it happen. I was given a lot of opportunities to advocate for myself, take risks, and trust that things work out exactly the way they are supposed to. I was really fortunate to have connections in the therapist community, and when I asked about the pros and cons of private practice every person said, “the only thing I regret is not starting it sooner.” And I absolutely agree!

My favorite part of my job is empowering clients to feel confident in themselves, their goals, and their relationships. Beyond that, my passion has always been working with LGBTQ+ clients. I specialize in working with same sex couples and clients who are seeking letters for gender affirming procedures. What separates me is I go beyond just being “friendly and affirming.” While that is a good start, I believe having the knowledge and education to back those traits up is paramount. I’ve seen unfortunate harm that began with good intentions. While my hope is that “LGBTQ+ counseling” doesn’t have to be a specialty (and instead it can just be inherent), I have a lot of pride for the work I get to do within the community.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the benefits of being based in Windsor is that it’s a fairly quick trip to Estes, Fort Collins, and Denver, so I’d likely plan a day in each place!

Estes is fantastic for hiking and people watching (two of my favorite sports!). A hike at Bridal Veil Falls, followed by a meal at Sweet Basilico, dessert at You Need Pie, and a looooong nap would be absolute perfection.

Anywhere I can find a gluten free baked goody is automatically my favorite spot, so shoutout to Explorado Market in Fort Collins for having the best treats in town. Harbinger Coffee also has the tastiest lattes in all of Colorado. I also adore driving up the Poudre Canyon, and anyone who visits me already knows that is a must-do on our list.

I’m a big tea gal, so I make a stop at Babe’s Tea Room anytime I’m in Denver. I’ve converted a lot of friends to being tea-drinkers after our visits there! I also highly recommend The Clocktower Cabaret – they put on the best shows.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Goodness, there are so many people that I am grateful for and owe my success and peace to. First and foremost, to my husband, who has shown me the importance of showing up to each interaction with compassion. He genuinely makes me a better person, partner, and therapist every day.

My best friends also deserve a shoutout, as they have been a crucial part of my support network through graduate school, becoming a therapist, and eventually being in private practice. I get to see the wonderful things they are accomplishing in their lives, and that drives me to take more risks in mine.

Lastly, my clients deserve the biggest shoutout of all. I genuinely have the best job in the world and I am deeply grateful for every person whose journey I’ve gotten to be a part of. I am constantly inspired and humbled by the people I get to interact with and their stories I get to witness. I would not be here without them!

Website: RicardCounseling.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaRicardCounseling

Image Credits
Rachel Cox – Lumen Creative Co.

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