Meet Tricia Corso

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

Hi Tricia, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When I first started my career in social work, my work life balance was non-existent. I remember learning about the risk of burnout during my master’s program and learning ways to navigate it but once I started my first job, I realized how difficult it was to avoid due to the nature of this work.

I wanted to be able to do everything perfectly, give everything 100 percent of my energy, and be there for everyone all of the time. Until I figured out that, that was actually draining me and not helping me show up for my clients in the way that I wanted for them or for me.

It took time and experience for me to get confident in my position as a social worker where I realized that I needed to find a healthy work/life balance in order to continue to do my work well. Once I was confident in my work, I felt more comfortable setting boundaries around my time and energy. I had to make hard choices to leave certain jobs that were not sustainable or did not support the balance I wanted. And through the various jobs I had, I got clearer and clearer on what I needed, which led me to open up my own private practice. This allowed me to find the balance of doing meaningful work while having the work/life balance I hoped for; being able to focus on and be present with my clients, showing up authentically within my work, feeling fulfilled personally and professionally, having time to focus on my wellness, sustaining relationships, and living a stable and aligned life.

What should our readers know about your business?
After graduating with my master’s in social work while living in New York (my home state!), I realized that I had checked off all of the “right” boxes up until that point but I wasn’t sure what I was “supposed” to do next. I was interviewing and applying for jobs but they didn’t excite me, and would barely cover my expenses month to month. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to live the life I wanted to in New York so I started looking into positions in Denver, CO. I had close friends that moved there and when I had visited them, I discovered that a healthier lifestyle existed; centered around the outdoors with less stress. I received a job offer in Denver so I made the extremely difficult but exciting decision to move; leaving my family, friends, and everything I knew.

It was scary and nerve-racking but I knew it was something I needed to do. I knew that I was never going to be truly happy living the lifestyle that I had grown up thinking that I was “supposed to” live; I was ready to discover who I was without the external noise of other people’s opinions & expectations and wanted to have space to focus on what made me happy. I pushed through a lot of discomfort and fear of the unknown so I could explore what it was that I needed to feel fulfilled. I worked on not getting caught up in the future and the what ifs (hello fear of failure!) and I paid attention to what I wanted in the present.

My mantra of “everything is temporary ” got me through a lot of decisions. I realized that making a decision didn’t always mean it’s final and rather than getting stuck on trying to figure out whether or not it would be the right decision, in order to create a false sense of safety by feeling in control, I listened to what I wanted in that moment and followed through with it- trusting that I could work through any potential hiccups along the way.

That time in my life helped me get to where I am now; living a more aligned, meaningful life. My journey continues to challenge me and I am constantly being pushed to learn new things, which has been difficult but worth it because it has helped me become a better person and clinician. During my career, I have worked in a community based mental health center, residential treatment center, in schools, and in group practices; all of which I learned a great deal from and led me to make the decision to start my own private practice and coaching business.

My private practice, Among Wildflowers Therapy, has been created from a place of love and intention. Growing up, I would listen to Tom Petty with my family on repeat during countless road trips; little did I know how much his song, Wildflowers, would resonate with me in the future. By definition wildflowers are resilient, adaptable, and free to grow anywhere; I believe that my clients have these qualities within themselves, it is just a matter of bringing them to light so I decided to name my practice, Among Wildflowers Therapy.

I’m passionate about supporting women that are going through similar pain points that I’ve experienced so that I can help them skip some unnecessary steps. I want to hold a container for my clients to learn strategies, set boundaries, and deepen connections with themselves and the people around them. I want them to understand that when they start questioning the “shoulds” and “supposed to’s” and truly follow what’s in their heart- they will feel relief and freedom. I believe that we are all deserving of discovering our truths, purpose, and direction.

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.
Living in Denver is a constant adventure, which is why I love it so much. You are surrounded by people that are active, friendly, and down to try new things. Being so close to nature while having access to “city living” is a perk too. So here are some of my favorites!

Places to eat: Lucile’s Creole Cafe, Adelitas Cocina y Cantina, Blue Pan Pizza, Pizzeria Lui, Pho 95, The Corner Beet, Denver Central Market (especially the ice cream flight @ High point Creamery), US Thai Cafe (be careful it’s spicy!), Maria Empanada

Places to drink: First draft Taproom (and then walk down Larimer St in RiNo to try out the other breweries), Infinite Monkey Theorem (closing sadly but their wine is delicious), Edgewater Beer Garden, Hazel, Somebody People, Dive Inn, Candlelight Tavern, New Terrain Brewing (in Golden)

Other fun activities:

There are so many great concert venues and artists that come to Denver so that is always something I check out. Concerts at the Mission Ballroom and Red Rocks are super fun.

Roller blading or walking around Wash park or Sloan’s Lake.

I would set aside the weekends for trips to the mountains and depending on the season, it would involve camping, hiking, SUPing, or skiing/snowboarding but these are a few of my favorite things to do:

Going to Buena Vista and doing dispersed camping along the Arkansas river. Grabbing a beer at Eddyline Brewery and a sandwich at Sorelle Delicatessen and then walking in town to visit the local shops and boutiques.

Renting a pontoon boat or going SUPing on Lake Dillon and grabbing a tropical drink and lunch at the tiki bar.

Seeing the wildflowers in the spring in Crested Butte.

Skiing at Arapahoe basin and making sure to get one of their iconic Bloody Mary’s.

Day trips to Golden, Evergreen, Colorado Springs, Estes Park, & Fort Collins are at the top on my list too – there are so many hikes and cute towns to explore.

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?
I would love to dedicate my shoutout to my family and friends; they have been my support system throughout my educational and vocational journey. They answered my calls, texts, listened to me talk about the same thing over and over, and gave me advice and encouragement. I genuinely believe that I have the most wonderful people in my circle and it is something that I am constantly grateful for because having their love and support means everything to me.

Website: https://www.amongwildflowerstherapy.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amongwildflowerstherapy/

Other: amongwildflowerstherapy@gmail.com