We had the good fortune of connecting with Keiran Bissell and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Keiran, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
“Look on the bright side” or something similar. Some situations are difficult. They bring up grief, sadness, loss, vulnerability, insecurity, anxiety, the list goes on. These emotions belong just as much as happiness, joy, delight, etc. Feeling them more deeply, rather than quickly turning difficulty into a positive, can be as much of a reminder of our humanity as feeling into ‘the bright side.’
What should our readers know about your business?
I am a full time social worker within the 20th District Probation and a part time therapist in private practice. Both roles, and the combination of community resourcing and emotional resourcing, are pretty much my dream position. Was it easy? Absolutely not. There’s a quote I’ve heard in meditation circles, “As within so without.” When I started working in social work and growing as a professional, it took me a few years to figure out both what to do within- with difficult emotions, professional relationships, or sad client situations- to best serve others and how that might help me without by creating a better work space or system. Government structures can sometimes be bureaucratic, slow-moving, or afraid of change. Our internal systems are similar. We show up with our limitations, internal bureaucracy, lost paperwork, hard days, fear, and/or limits in vision. Our work includes working within that system to expand and change. And as within, so without… I’m a fairly creative person and really a change-maker especially around local policy. My full-time roles taught me a lot about the need for give and take when making change, how to work within a system, the way that changes are sometimes small steps over time, and how to find patience with that imperfect reality.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When friends come to town, I love going out to The Source. The food and drinks are excellent and I like all the little shops inside; it’s a good place just to walk around and enjoy. I also love spending time in Golden, walking friends near the river, enjoying the parks, getting coffee at Higher Grounds, and going for a bike ride up Lookout Mountain. Although, I’m more of an outdoors person than a city-type, so we’d probably spend most of our time outside. Maybe spend a day climbing in Clear Creek Canyon, hiking or trail running near Golden, and maybe do a short backpacking trip up off the Peak to Peak.
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?
Yes! I want to recognize a mentor who helped me get to know myself better, serve others more gracefully, and grow as a human, Darci Meyers. Additionally, I appreciate the love and encouragement of a lot of my friends, coworkers, and work mentors: Kate Agel, John Herman, Kyle Crawley, Elizabeth Ramsey, Jenny Smith, Chris Leck, Devanand Heins, and Anjali Nandi. Lastly, my dad is someone who offers me love, encouragement, and support.
Website: keiranbissell.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keiranbissellpsychotherapy
Image Credits
Rachel Pelzel Photography