Meet Kristin Belkofer | Founder, Clinical Director, and Psychotherapist at CLARA Healing Institute

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

Hi Kristin, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The CLARA concept developed organically as I was growing my mental health psychotherapy practice independently and networking within the community. I would say that the idea is a direct response to the needs of the clients we serve, as well as a response to the need for quality training, connection, and self-care for clinicians. Therapy is an interesting field that way; we are helpers by nature and training, but we often deprioritize what we personally need to be healthy and effective clinicians. As I built my clientele, I was also becoming more and more interested in the mind-body connection and somatic experience of emotions (ie. the way emotions and stress show up in our bodies) which strongly informs my practice. I found that this was an effective way to help my clients, and I often connected my clients to yoga therapists, acupuncturists, reiki practitioners, nutritionists, meditation teachers, and other bodyworkers within the community. After a while I thought: what if we had some of these holistic and integrative services all under the same roof, so we can collaborate with one another and develop really creative and innovation care plans for our clients? Several of our clinicians are art therapists, and I wanted art therapy to be readily accessible to our clients as well.

Additionally, I know that I am personally and professionally inspired by lifelong learning, and continuing education is a large part of our work. I thought: What if we had a branch of our services that also served therapists or other healthcare professionals by offering training and self-care resources? I also knew I wanted the space to be comfortable and peaceful, without an overly clinical or “sterile” feel that can be intimidating. The design and feel of the space is intentional- I wanted it to be a place that clients looked forward to coming, and felt comfortable using our library to read, have tea, participate in creative programs, and see others engaging in therapy in a collaborative and empowering way. Through this, my hope is that the space itself, as well as how we operate in it, can help de-stigmatize the act of going to therapy. I knew that if this vision was going to come to life, I would need to build a great team of values-driven clinicians that are looking for similar support, intellectual engagement, and creativity in their practices.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I believe that our clinicians are all personally and professionally driven towards excellence in different ways. We are all very relationship and client-centered, meaning that the care we provide is uniquely designed for the health of the whole person- mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. We do not see clients as a “diagnosis” or as the trauma they have experienced. I also believe that our practice is very trustworthy and transparent. We are open about the investment and personal work involved in therapy, and it’s one of my jobs to help folks get connected to the best-fit therapist or service for them. For this reason, we offer free consultations as well as multiple ways for people to engage in therapy or healing work, no matter where they are in the process. Some examples of this would be our Wisdom Collective groups, namely our Radical Self Love series as well as our Coping Skills for Women of Color DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) group. Both groups provide space for participants to gather authentically, no matter their experience with therapy, and learn skills and perspectives for growing self-compassion and addressing difficult emotions with dignity. Our therapists and facilitators do not operate solely from a position of expertise- they show humility, relatability, and develop healing relationships with our clients.

In terms of getting to this point in the business: it was, and still is, quite a winding road. I didn’t enter my career specifically intending to be a “business owner,” but I did know that I wanted to create something new, and that I was very driven by purpose, vision, and a sense of service to the community. My professional path was pretty unconventional. I actually attended art school right out of high school. In my freshman year of college, I became pregnant with my son who is now twenty. Becoming a mom at 19 helped me refine my purpose and was a challenging and, at times, isolating experience. It also sort of kickstarted a determination and work ethic in me that is still very much present. Looking back, I guess I was always dabbling as an entrepreneur. I painted murals, commissioned portraits, and made jewelry to sell at local craft fairs and shops. I’ve always enjoyed creating a vision and organizing around it- art installations, gallery shows, art education programs, fundraisers, committees, and I very much enjoyed connecting with people in the community and bringing them together through these events. Throughout my undergrad, I worked at the Milwaukee Art Museum in a variety of roles that helped me see the structural systems of a non-profit, which taught me about funding and development.

Graduate school and the professional training of counseling and therapy does not prepare you in any way to be a business leader, which is a problem. I knew I had great training and passion, but many clinicians struggle with the business side of the work as we are so often driven to focus on process versus product. This is wonderful for therapy itself, but can make smaller mental health practices that don’t exist under the umbrella of large health systems, grants, or contracts difficult to sustain and grow. That said, I just sort of threw myself into the business side of developing the practice, keeping faith that it would take shape and working hard not to get caught up in numerous pivots and road blocks. You just have to keep going, and trust there is always a way around, even if it’s not what you planned or envisioned. I asked for help and support with my business coach as well as a local University’s Small Business Development Center.

As women we are so often taught to fear asking for what we want and need, and this is something I had to actively get over. Through the process of negotiating our lease, collaborating with architects and contractors, and finding funding, I essentially just kept moving and strategizing, often relying on “fake it til you make it” energy. As well as intuition. Eventually, it didn’t seem like I was faking as much anymore and I was actually learning things and feeling more confident that I could at least strategize my way through problems as they arose.

Like most small businesses, COVID presented us with a reality we could have never expected. I signed the lease for our space in Feb 2020, and over the course of the next few months I learned that the business loan I was anticipating would not come to fruition- the bank had to focus efforts on administering SBA funding for PPP and keeping existing businesses afloat. I had to pivot quickly to a local lender, and started the buildout of our space which was very uncertain due to supply chain issues of the pandemic. The entire time, I was also continuing to provide care for my current clients both virtually and in person, as well as hire staff and prepare to build clientele in a new location, all with an unprecedented demand for services and clinical needs skyrocketing. Looking back, I’m very proud of that chapter, although it’s a bit of a blur, and I embraced the role of mental health professionals as first responders in the pandemic. I’m glad that CLARA enabled us to help in the way we could. A year after we opened, a plumbing error in our building caused a flood which destroyed our ceiling and closed the clinic for several weeks for mitigation and reconstruction. I was completely unprepared for this- being thrown into the insurance process and making immediate decisions to keep the practice running to meet our clients’ needs and continue have income for myself and the team. Ultimately I know that this experience sharpened my leadership skills, but it also led to lots of sleepless nights and anxiety.

Regarding lessons learned, I am continuously learning how to better manage my work life balance, because the potential for burnout is very high. I’ve learned to be a better communicator in all areas of my life, which extends to setting boundaries and expressing accountability for business related errors with clients, team, and stakeholders. Furthermore, I’ve learned that most people graciously receive this accountability, which makes it less scary and more of a growth process. Connected to this- being a therapist consistently teaches me that people are extremely resilient, inspiring, and that all people have struggles and pain that are not seen so we may as well embrace the mess.

Our clinical and collective values and “brand” are embedded in our name:
C is for connection, emphasizing the importance of relationships in the healing process. L is for leadership, which means feeling empowered within your own life, community, family, workplace, etc. A represents attunement, a core principle of identifying, acknowledging, and responding to the emotions of others to create safety and build empathy. R is for regulation, as we teach strategies for self-regulating through difficult emotions, as well as approaches for co regulating, especially in a parent-child relationship. The last A refers to agency, a sense of control and influence in our own lives- the ability to be an agent of change where we want to make it.

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.
Milwaukee really is a city comprised of different neighborhoods, all with their own identity and energy, which can be very charming. At the same time, it has a real dark side, as this is rooted in segregation and institutional racism, which has caused many people in Milwaukee to be very disconnected from one another’s experiences- socioeconomically, culturally, etc. Connection is crucial to community mental health, so I think it’s important for people to understand these dynamics so we can move forward in a healthier way. There are a lot of people and organizations working to build these bridges. Milwaukee is home to America’s Black Holocaust Museum, which highlights local civil rights leaders like Vel Phillips and Father James Groppi. I would also be sure to bring a friend to Alice’s Garden, a joyful urban farm space located in the heart of the city that offers spiritual, cultural, and health-related programming. Additionally, the Sherman Phoenix is a marketplace highlighting businesses-of-color who offer diverse foods, handmade herbal products, and wellness services as well as art exhibits, film showings, and cultural events. The Sherman Phoenix was formed after a fatal police shooting resulted in civil unrest- including the burning of a bank building located in the Sherman Park neighborhood. Community leaders banded together to invest in the Phoenix in order to support entrepreneurship and build community wealth.

Milwaukee is a very musical city, from large-scale music festivals to small, DIY venues. I tend to lean more towards the dive-y, independent spots so I would take a guest to see smaller acts at Cactus Club in Bay View, X-Ray Arcade in Cudahy, and Bremen Café in River West. Rush-Mor Records in Bay View and Lilliput Records on the Lower East Side are great places to sift through records and get music recommendations.

The Milwaukee Art Museum is world-class collection in an architectural marvel, but it’s also very accessible and family friendly. Gallery night is a great time to check out smaller local galleries; I really love the Portrait Society Gallery in the Marshall Building in the Third Ward. Just down the street is the storefront for Unfinished Legacy, the fashion line from a very exciting young designer, with much of the collection being handprinted. The Villa Terrace is a decorative arts museum that makes you feel a little like you are in Italy, and the Jewish Museum Milwaukee has excellent cultural, historical, and art exhibitions. If my friend wasn’t staying with me, I would suggest staying at Saint Kate, a boutique arts hotel that features collections and revolving exhibits from local and upcoming artists. The hotel is steps away from multiple theaters and preforming arts spaces so it’s easy to see a show at the Pabst or Riverside Theaters, or see a Milwaukee Ballet performance. Milwaukee is also home to many historic and ornate churches and cathedrals, which is a worthwhile visual experience regardless of spiritual leaning.

The Pfister Hotel is an ornate and historic Milwaukee staple where it would be great to bring my guest for afternoon tea service. Their spa is also top notch and a good place to splurge for a massage. The café at the Plaza Hotel has a great brunch in a very French-feeling art deco style building, with a little secret garden hidden within it. Regardless of whether a visitor is a major sports fan or not, Milwaukee Bucks games are a very exciting experience that has brought together much of the community and brightened our downtown.

I don’t really drink alcohol, but I do drink a lot of coffee. Two of my favorites are Vendetta Espresso Bar in the Wauwatosa Village which has a traditional Italian bar service, and The Daily Bird In River West. Lion’s Tooth in Bay View is a woman-owned bookstore and art space featuring independent publications- a great place to spend an afternoon. It would also be great to catch a movie at the Oriental Theater on the east side, especially during the Milwaukee Film Festival. CLARA Healing Institute is one of Milwaukee Film’s Community Partners, which means we sponsor films that we believe would directly speak to our clients and community.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely- CLARA is very much a collaborative team effort.

First, we have a fantastic and exceptional team of clinicians, facilitators, and employees. Each one brings a unique lens with which to serve our clients, and also make it a great place to work and grow our practices and create programs that create real change in peoples’ lives. It’s incredibly rewarding.

Second, my business coach, Dr. Laci Coppins Robbins, helped me a ton with mindset and formulating strategy. Specifically, she helped me see and eventually believe that I could create and run the practice without being stuck in self-doubt or imposter syndrome. I remember daydreaming about starting CLARA but thinking, “I need an MBA first” or “I need more training before I can.” Dr. Laci helped me see the gifts and value I was already bringing as both a clinician and a program developer, and how to expand them and make them sustainable and marketable.

I also want to acknowledge the influence of our Wisdom Collective’s Spiritual Midwife, Venice Williams, on my development. The Wisdom Collective refers to the branch of CLARA that provides holistic training and programs from interdisciplinary facilitators. Venice’s work as a community leader has greatly influenced my ability to build a values-driven organization and harness the strengths of our team members.

Website: https://clarahealinginstitute.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clara_healing_institute/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-belkofer-lpc-1602548/

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

Other: Punk Rock Therapy- a mutual aid group I started to connect with others through music and peer support. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2030227383937309/

Image Credits
Manda Meilander- Alwaysbee Photography Alverno College Royal Brevväxling