We had the good fortune of connecting with D. Linnaya Widhalm and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi D. Linnaya, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most crucial factor in my success as a therapist and mentor has been addressing my own trauma early on. In my early twenties, I discovered that my sister had cancer that had metastasized to her lungs. The intense impact this had on me led to significant and severe depression. When I sought support for myself at the time, I realized I had been dealing with significant trauma and complex PTSD for many years. Over the past 25 years, my journey of healing and confronting my own trauma has allowed me to effectively support others with high-end trauma.
What should our readers know about your business?
I founded Elliant Counseling Services in 2007, but it was not easy! Before 2007, I was contracting with another agency but dreamed of creating a supportive community that worked together with a common vision. My goal was to build a group of therapists that work well together, communicate well together, and manage conflict well together. I really believed–and still believe–that it is important to create a company that is also a community modeling a healthy family system where we foster healthy connections with ourselves, each other, and the surrounding community. It is because of this that we’re able to provide the best person-centered services.
I started AllNeuro Pathways in 2018 to complement the work we do at Elliant Counseling. Neurofeedback is incredible for addressing high-end complex trauma on a somatic level. It helps rebalance brain patterns shaped by environmental trauma. Combining neurofeedback with therapy has been phenomenal, leading to faster and more significant improvements for our clients with complex PTSD. I strongly believe in neurofeedback as a crucial aid in recovery.
What sets me apart from others providing trauma services–and what I’m most proud of–is my own personal journey of healing from high-end trauma. One of my mentors early on said to me that we can only have the capacity to hold space for another human who has trauma to the extent that we have done our own healing. Every way that I have stepped into my own healing has fueled my enthusiasm for learning how to help others heal from the ways trauma reshapes the body and brain.
As I have grown personally and professionally, I’ve also discovered my passion for teaching others. There is such a huge need for skilled trauma therapists, and in the last couple of years I’ve moved into providing supervision and consultation to others who want to work with clients with high-end trauma. It has been surprisingly wonderful and rejuvenating, and I feel really honored that I can facilitate others in evolving personally and professionally as they provide trauma therapy to the greater 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.
I love the Denver area, especially the Botanical Gardens and the Denver Art Museum, so those are on my must-see list. I adore Denver’s parks, and Washington Park is a favorite for walking, people-watching, and sunbathing.
Cheesman Park is another favorite place because of its fascinating history as a former cemetery. I was born in Colorado, and Denver’s rich history gives me a sense of deep roots. No visit to Cheeseman Park is complete without a stop at Liks on 9th for the best handmade ice cream I’ve ever had anywhere. Many years back when I lived on 13th and Vine (and the shop was called Lickety Split), I would visit once or twice a week with close friends who also lived in the neighborhood. Liks is definitely a must in Denver!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many! First, I want to recognize and thank Dr. Jean Leonard for her unwavering ability to hold space for me during the years of diving deeply into the dark abyss of my childhood trauma. She has walked alongside me as I have grown to know, appreciate, and love my authentic self.
Dr. Harvey Powers was my supervisor and mentor from the start of my journey to become a therapist. In graduate school, I had the opportunity to work with him and receive supervision through Cherry Hills Community Church. Meeting with Dr. Powers weekly, both individually and in group settings, helped me develop my passion for working with families, individuals, and couples. I learned to help clients improve communication, understand complex activations from past experiences, and navigate their relationships towards love, acceptance, understanding, and shared meaning.
I also owe tremendous gratitude to Dr. John Hartung, who taught me Energy Psychology and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) early in my career. To this day, his guidance and gentle approach to working with complex PTSD shapes how I work with my clients and how I hold space for myself. Dr. Hartung is a leading expert in somatic experiencing and trauma, and emphasized the power of going slow to help people understand the somatic expression of trauma–the way trauma is held in the body. He also works with veterans, a group I also work with, which has always been close to my heart.
Another person who I thank tremendously for my success is my husband, Mike Pecha. He has stood by me, supported me, and stepped up at home when I was unavailable. His unwavering support has been crucial in allowing me to do the challenging work of helping clients and families with high-end complex PTSD.
Website: https://elliantcounseling.com/
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Image Credits
Photos courtesy of Elliant Counseling Services
