Meet Emily Garcia | Therapist

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

Hi Emily, how do you think about risk?
My husband and I traveled to Iceland a few years ago and went on a glacier tour. During the tour, we had the chance to repel down a cavern and then use an ice pick to climb back up. I was absolutely terrified, but knew that if I didn’t do it, I would wonder why I hadn’t taken the chance. So, I pushed past my fear and did it. I am so grateful because it was a wonderful experience and I increased my confidence in my own abilities. Anytime there is a risk that I can take, I consider the following: If I were at the end of my life, would I regret not having taken the risk? In my business, I approach things the same way. Of course, I weigh the cost if something goes right vs if something goes wrong. But, I don’t want to leave any opportunities on the table. Prior to starting my own business, I worked for a community mental health organization for almost 11 years. During that time, I had stability and knew exactly how much I’d receive on my check every other Friday. The paycheck definitely wasn’t big, but the thought of leaving the stability for the unknown was terrifying. It may have taken me longer than it should have to take the leap, however once I did it, I had absolutely no regrets.
My comfort zone is a wonderful place to be, temporarily. But, I know it isn’t where I need to stay. If I don’t take risks and move outside of my comfort zone, I will never grow. I am committed to living a life of integrity and purpose so that when I get to the end, I feel grateful for all that I have done and all of the connections I’ve made.

What should our readers know about your business?
I became a therapist, working with children and families after graduating with my Masters in Social Work in 2009. Since that time, I have learned so much about myself and others. It is my belief that you can really only help other people if you are continually doing your own work, and we’re never done with our own work. So, over the years, I have been in my own therapy and I am a big believer in my own personal development. Because of this, I wanted to start my own private practice, where people could do the deep work, engage in self-care, work on their own grounding, and feel more fulfilled in their lives. Part of my mission is not just to do these things alone, but to provide a structure for others to receive exactly what they’re looking for in workshops, retreats, an online course, and with other therapists in my practice. I now provide corporate wellness workshops, wellness retreats, and I am bringing on an amazing child play therapist to join my practice. After the new year, I will release a self-guided course for adult women who struggle in their relationships with their own mother’s.
A few years ago, I made a decision that I would say yes to opportunities that presented themselves, even if I was scared. This decision has opened so many doors for me. I have made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I haven’t allowed myself to dwell in the disappointment for too long. Instead, I look for the lesson in the mistake and plan for alternatives should a similar challenge arise again. I have been able to do this because I am constantly working to surround myself with people who move toward bettering themselves, and I consume books and podcasts that nourish my mind and spirit.
As I learn and grow, I keep adding more to what I can provide for others. I have experienced my fair share of heartbreak and disappointment in my life, and although I would never want to repeat any of it, I know it has all made me a better person. I keep working to turn my life experiences into strengths that I use to help others live their best life.

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.
Breakfasts would include: Annie’s on East Colfax & Sassafras American Eatery Coffee: Prodigy Coffeehouse & St Marks Cafe
Parks we would visit: City Park, Red Rocks, and Washington Park
Activities: Hiking at Lair O’ Bear & Golden Gate State Park, stand up paddle boarding at Chatfield or Horsetooth Reservoir. Go to a Rockies game.
Lunch/Dinner/drinks: We would be sure to have some good Mexican food at La Fogata or 7 Leguas, sushi at Hapa, sit on the rooftop at Avanti while having a drink and some food, The Peaks Lounge on the 27th floor of the Hyatt downtown for an incredible view, and drink a beer at Station 26 Brewery in Denver or New Terrain Brewing Company in Golden.

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?
When I was 15, I disclosed that I had been sexually abused by my step-father. At that point, my world completely shifted. I am the youngest of four children and I was the only one living at home at the time. I stayed with my brother, Ben & sister-in-law, Andrea for a little while until my older sister, Lottie became my kinship foster parent and my sister Anna supported in anyway that she could. This was such a challenging time in all of our lives. For the next year, we met with investigators and people from the DA’s office. I ended up testifying in court against the man who had harmed not only me, but countless other victims, and was successful when he was found guilty on three counts and sent away to prison. That time was a chaotic one in my life. My siblings and I were all figuring it out and one of the few certainties was that we had one another. Lottie was only 23 years old when I moved in with her, had to give up all of the spontaneity of a young 20 something life in order to parent me. I wasn’t exactly the easiest kid. Prior to my disclosure, I had been failing out of 10th grade because I decided that ditching school was more interesting. I was depressed and didn’t particularly care about my future. Lottie got me on track. She enforced the rule that I needed to bring home a progress report signed by every teacher, every Friday and she expected that I get involved in sports and school activities. Because of her love and consistency, my life completely turned around. I began to have hope and dreamed about a future full of travel, friendships, and opportunity.
We were by no means alone during this time though. We had people from social services & court involved, friends, other family members, and I went to therapy for the first time. My therapist, Fran helped me in so many ways. She helped to shift my victim mindset into an empowered survivor mindset and she made me realize that someday, I wanted to help others in the same way that she helped me.
Since that challenging time in my life, I have had so many wonderful people enter my world. Now, I am married to Adam, who is a supportive, encouraging, and loving partner. And, I have two children, who fill my world with sunshine- Gisella, who is 10 years old, and Avi, who is 7 years old.

Website: www.tribemindbody.com

Instagram: @emily_tribemindbodywellness

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-garcia-tribe

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