Meet Nicole / Elisa Penner-Landgraf / Johnson | Owner and Therapist at Starry Sky Therapy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole / Elisa Penner-Landgraf / Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole / Elisa, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
A little backstory: We first met in our graduate program and became close throughout our years there. After a couple years in the field working in private practice we realized we shared a mutual dream of owning our own business where we could have more control and autonomy over our professional development. We were excited to explore the idea and pursue this journey that would allow for us to make decisions based on our passions and how we wanted to provide mental health support to members of our community. It was incredibly scary and exciting all at the same time, and we found it’s exactly what we wanted. Our mission statement sums up what’s most important to us and what contributes to our success in working with our clients. It’s to help illuminate their path towards healing, and to provide a space to bring light to the dark spaces within. It’s important to us that we help clients face the difficult parts of their experiences while providing guidance towards hope and healing. Our end goal is to make therapy accessible to the community around us, to be able to look back and recognize we didn’t let the darkness win, and to stay true to ourselves.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are so proud of Starry Sky. From the beginning it’s all been about colliding our passion for mental health with our mission to serve members of our community in a meaningful way. The experience of owning our own business hasn’t been easy as there are so many things to learn and challenges to overcome. Our passion, however, has been effortless and unwavering throughout it all which has allowed us to fully enjoy and just have fun. Our biggest consistent lesson has been seeing our struggles and challenges through the lens of compassion and understanding. We are always growing which means we’re not perfect. And that’s okay! Within the context of having healthy boundaries for work and personal life, we truly put all of ourselves in this work. We whole-heartedly believe in the work we get to do with clients on a daily basis and we can both end our days knowing we’re doing what we were meant to do.

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.
(Nicole) When I first moved to Colorado, I would go up to Lookout Mountain to try and wrap my head around the fact that views like this exist. There are so many places to go and see the Rocky Mountains, but it’s here that holds a special place in my heart. Estes park has so many beautiful views, hikes, and shops to check out. This goes for most mountain towns. They all have their own unique views and go-to spots. Olde Town Arvada is such a fun spot for good food and drinks!

(Elisa) One of my favorite ways to start the morning is taking my dogs to get pup cups from my favorite coffee stands. Luckily, there are a plethora of coffee shops in the area! I love to spend time in downtown Fort Collins just sight seeing and window shopping. Estes Park is also a beautiful experience, and spending time in Rocky Mountain National Park is a must.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To all of the mental health professionals, our professors, and our loved ones who believed in us: Thank you! We are feeling your positive impact daily. To our clients: Thank you for trusting us to walk alongside as you face hard things and fight for healing and hope.

Website: https://www.starryskytherapy.com

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

Image Credits
All photos were taken by ourselves.