Today we’d like to introduce you to Genesis Games.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
As a child, I had a severe dog phobia. It didn’t matter the size or the breed, if I saw a dog I would run for my life. I wouldn’t take a walk around my neighborhood or go visit a friend if they had a dog. It made no sense and I knew it, but the moment I saw or heard a dog, I was unable to reason. It was embarrassing, frustrating, and very limiting. At the age of 15, I decided I had to overcome this fear once and for all and I asked my mother to take me to therapy. Now, I was raised in a very Cuban family, meaning therapy and mental health were not things we discussed. Therapy was for “crazy people”, and there is no way we were “crazy.” I’m grateful that despite the cultural barriers my mother understood that I needed help and allowed me to heal. Overcoming my fear of dogs appeared unimaginable, but my therapist was compassionate and patient. I still remember the first day I pet a dog, her name is Nala and she is a golden retriever. That day I learned that I had the power to do the unimaginable and totally changed my life. That’s a lesson that has carried on with me and inspired me to become a psychotherapist. I wanted to help others overcome the unimaginable and have the life they desire.
During my Junior year of high school, I took an AP Psychology class and became even more fascinated with the idea of becoming a psychotherapist. I was hungry for more knowledge of how the brain worked and why we behaved the way we did. I wanted to learn more to be able to help others. Sixteen-year-old Genesis with frizzy hair and terrible acne dreamt of being in private practice one day as she studied for her AP exam.
Fast forward ten years later, I was able to join a phenomenal group practice, South Miami Psychology Group, owned by Dr. Andrea Loeb and Dr. Summer Sullivan. I launched the IG account @themiamitherapist and have been honored to be a guest on various podcasts, as well as, blogs. I have published articles on Medium and have been cited by Psych Central. I am also a board member of the Pavasana Foundation, our goal is to make yoga and wellness programs accessible to low-medium income communities in Miami. I feel blessed to be able to use my passion and expertise to help others in distinct ways.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road is never smooth if the destination is worthwhile. One of the challenges I faced was being a first-generation student. My mom is a Cuban immigrant and did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education, therefore, she had no idea how to help me when it came to SATs, college applications, and grants. I had to take on the responsibility of figuring things out for myself. I was blessed to have great teachers and an amazing college advisor that provided me with a lot of guidance through a very stressful process.
The main challenge I faced and that many colleagues struggle with if finding a position that allows you to have a work/life balance. Unfortunately, as a newbie therapist that is unlicensed, the opportunities for employment are limited. So many of us have been overworked and underpaid, therefore, struggling with burnout. We are erroneously taught in school that we come into this profession to help others and not to make money. As if money was unnecessary and evil. The truth is that therapists have bills to pay and deserve to make a decent living. We go through years of graduate education, thousands of hours of supervision, and specialized training that require a huge investment of our time and money. A therapist that is struggling financially and feels overwhelmed with work will not be able to be present for their clients and provide them with quality care. This is something that I came to understand based on my own experience with burnout and pushed me to dive into private practice.
In the present, my biggest struggle is my inner monologue. I often question if I have enough training and convince myself to spend hundreds of dollars in new training. You should see my amazon cart full of books on new techniques or diagnoses I am not too experienced in. I get nervous prior to podcasts interviews so I make an outline and review the questions as if I was prepping for an AP exam. When I record Lives on FB or IG, I refuse to watch myself. When I walk into a room full of seasoned clinicians, I wonder if I should even be there. Through my own therapy and inner work, I have learned to lower the volume of inner monologue. Despite having the tools and being a therapist, somedays my inner monologue gets pretty loud. On those days, I remind myself that I am as human as the person in front of me on the Starbucks drive-thru line.
Please tell us about The Miami Therapist.
I practice at South Miami Psychology Group (SMPG) and specialize in relationships and addictions.
I am a Gottman-trained couples therapist and I primarily work with college students and young adults struggling with family relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships. I work with clients recovering from a breakup, individuals with relationship issues, and couples. I like a challenge, so high-conflict couples are my favorite. I believe in the power of relationships and I know that they can be incredibly harmful and also incredibly healing. I also fervently believe that the quality of our life is tied to the quality of our relationships. As a result, I am very passionate about helping people have better relationships with themselves and others.
Prior to starting in private practice, I worked in inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities for substance use disorders. I worked in agencies that had contracts with Drug Court and the DMV for DUI cases. I’ve seen addiction at all levels, settings, and intensities. I understand the pain that addiction causes the person who is experiencing it and their loved ones. At SMPG, I focus on preventive work with teens and college students, as well as their families.
The IG account @themiamitherapist was created with the intention of disseminating information regarding mental health to those who may not have access to therapy or might not be knowledgeable of the therapeutic process. It’s not just about spreading knowledge but doing so in an easy to digest way and in a very relatable manner. My account is not filled with psychobabble, but rather with very real posts about very real topics. The Genesis that I am on IG is the same Genesis my clients get in sessions. I believe in normalizing mental health conversations and humanizing therapists because we do not have it all together and we also struggle at times. So I talk about my experience as a client and what has helped me heal. Instagram is not a replacement for therapy in any way; however, I like to think about it as a self-help book that is at your disposal. My hope is that each post resonates with at least one person encouraging them to look inward and maybe make a small change.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing, I am who I am today because of all the decisions I made and all the situations that occurred in my life. Some were hard and challenging, others were delightful and great. Yet, these have shaped me to be the human, as well as the psychotherapist that I am today. I have learned to embrace my story and own it!
Contact Info:
- Address:10205 South Dixie Highway
Suite 203-204
Pinecrest, FL 33156 - Website: https://www.healingconnections-therapy.com/
- Phone: 716-379-3321
- Email: genesis@themiamitherapist.com and genesis@southmiamipsych.com
- Instagram: @themiamitherapist
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Genesis-Games-LMHC-2069370673122277/?ref=bookmarks
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/genesis-games-miami-fl/412387
Image Credit:
PureZeal Photography
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