Help us welcome Cynthia to the IOME team!
Cynthia is the newest addition to the IOME team! We are so excited to welcome her!
Cynthia is a Marriage and Family therapist who is currently working out of many of our office spaces (Fort Collins, Greeley, Eaton, and Windsor). She answered a couple of questions below to get to know her a little better! Check them out and reach out to Cynthia if you'd like to schedule a free consult! :)
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I had the opportunity to be raised on the beautiful western slope of Colorado. I grew up in a large family and lived in a small town where I could often visit both sets of my grandparents. My family spent many hours in the mountains camping, four wheeling, snowmobiling, fishing, hiking, and just exploring the wild terrain of Colorado. I am the second born child in my large family.
Why did you become a mental health therapist?
My first career was in the medical field and I was fascinated how our body’s functioned and processed. I often felt that during surgical procedures that the majority of my job was comforting patients throughout procedures, chatting with them about care in between appointments, and providing education around their specific challenges. I realized that many patients needed mental health support and I realized that I would make a stronger impact in society by furthering my education with the mental health field.
Why did you decide to work for IOME?
I learned about IOME during a life-work balance transition in my life. I was highly encouraged by the mission behind IOME and the concept of focusing on preventable mental health rather than just a typical reactive mental health approach. I love the creativity that IOME provides their clinicians by fostering a culture that truly strives to support my clients through a holistic approach. I loved the opportunity to partner and provide support within my local community where I live and play an active role in.
Why do you believe self care is nonnegotiable?
Self-care is something that we need to intentional and practice. I feel that we as humans never fully arrive in life and especially in self-care. It is important that we listen to our mind, soul, and body and take time to just be! I always tell my clients that if you don’t take a break then your body will do it for you! This break usually occurs in the most inconvenient time.
How do you incorporate guilt free self care into your daily routine?
I would love to say that I have mastered this but it is not a natural or learned response that I have achieved. However, there is always hope. I have to be very mindful and intentional to block time off my calendar to re-charge and unplug with mindfulness, meditation, or just kick off my shoes and dance it out to some music.
Who is your ideal client? Who do you love working with the most?
I feel as a Marriage and Family Therapist that I love working with all parts of a family system. I enjoy working with kids, tweens, adolescents, individuals, couples and families. I enjoy providing a diverse caseload and meeting clients where they are at in that specific journey in life. I find fulfillment with working and partnering with women and supporting them with specific women issues.
What would you say to someone who is on the fence about starting therapy?
I would honor their bravery for the initial step of being mindful about the idea of therapy! It takes a lot of courage to make an appointment, show up to the appointment and complete paperwork, and share your deepest or even lightest pain with someone. I often tell clients that clinicians are just trained humans to have a conversation with. A conversation that has no bias, a place where you can be who and what you need during your session, someone to encourage you, teach you coping skills, but also an individual who can help hold your pain.