It’s Women’s History Month, if you were not aware. So, I wanted to interview a wonderful, wonderful woman, who helps wonderful, wonderful minds come back to themselves so that they can re-embrace their greatness. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you can find ways to do so as well.
This month reflects who we are as strong women and what our minds are capable of—which is so much. We have had to fight for where we are now, and there is a price for that price. What happens when our thoughts begin to fly away, and our moods begin to spiral? We remain strong, beautiful women, but how do we come back?
Dr. Theresa Welles is a Psychologist from Atlanta who spoke to my sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, as a part of our Wellness series. Her ideas and words spoke volumes and left us with such a distinct feeling of hope. When someone says something that not only makes you not feel alone but also leaves you inspired, they must be doing wonderful things.
Her Campus (HC): In the spirit of Women’s History Month, who are some of the women in your life that inspire you?
Theresa Welles (TW): The women in my life who inspire me the most are my mother and my daughter. They share qualities that make them superheroes as far as I’m concerned. They are smart, strong, committed, compassionate and incredibly beautiful inside and out. My mother is a nurse and worked hard every day caring for patients and her family. She passed down her incredible work ethic and smarts to my daughter, who, at 23, is a successful professional working for an investment bank in New York City. She graduated, moved to New York, and started her job, and then eight months later had to balance being a new professional in a high-stress job with a global pandemic. If that doesn’t make you a superhero, I don’t know what does!
HC: Could you elaborate on what exactly it is you do, and who it is you work with?
TW: I am a licensed psychologist who provides treatment for people suffering from anxiety and other mental health issues. I am part of a private practice, located in Georgia, called Anxiety Specialists of Atlanta.
HC: What led you to this profession and why did you choose to stay?
TW: My mother was a nurse, and my father instilled in me a love of philosophy—psychology was the perfect “marriage,” of these two disciplines. As a person who always felt most comfortable in care-giving roles, it has been a natural career fit.
HC: Does your work weigh on your own mental health?
TW: Honestly, it is a challenge sometimes to not get weighed down by the suffering some of my clients are dealing with, but as long as I “practice what I preach” about healthy boundaries and self-care, I am able to push through. Truth be told, I’ve learned as much or more from my clients about resilience and strength that they have learned from me, and my work gives me an incredible amount of fulfillment and purpose.
HC: When you spoke to my sorority chapter, you mentioned you are inspired by your clients, and that often times you end up learning more from them! Could you elaborate on this?
TW: The main things I have learned from my clients are strength, courage and commitment. Especially when it comes to trauma and anxiety disorders, my treatment requires they face their fears in order to overcome them, and ultimately, live the life they long for. This means being brave and committed to doing the work, even when they feel uncomfortable. It is an awesome thing to witness another person’s strength and courage in that way.
HC: A quote you mentioned to my chapter that caught all of our attention and pulled on our heartstrings at the beginning of your presentation was: “Beautiful girl, you can do hard things.” That is just one of those quotes that if hope could have a feeling, that’d be it. Could you describe where this came from and what it means?
TW: I stole that from a client who uses that mantra to inspire her on the difficult days. I’m not sure if she came up with it on her own, or if she got it from somewhere, but I think it is the perfect affirmation for her and other clients who have survived traumatic life experiences.
HC: When we come across these hard things, what and how can we learn and continue to overcome? How do we keep up with healthy mental health?
TW: I think we have all dealt with some really hard things this past year and we are all healing in our own way. General tips for coping with the tough stuff:
- Practice and indulge in self-care: be still and move every day (basically, take time to rest and be in the moment, meditate, but also take time to move your body, dance, etc.)
- Connect with others: do so safely, but not just through social media (we need human connection and energy, need not just want)
- Seek to understand others’ experiences (we are not alone, and feeling and embracing other people’s experiences creates an atmosphere for love and care)
- Approach, don’t avoid: don’t wait until you “feel” like it—you’ll be waiting forever! (The time to do whatever it is you have been waiting for is now!)
- Don’t suffer alone: reach out to your support system, and if you’re really overwhelmed, seek help from the professionals—we all need help sometimes and seeking help shows maturity and smarts! (There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking professional help; that is quite literally their job! They are there for you! And do your research; interview your therapist beforehand. These professionals want to help you, that is why they chose this career. Just because that one experience with a therapist was not successful or good for you, does not mean there is not someone out there who is right for you and can get your mental health back on track!)
Mental health is no small deal. A healthy relationship between your brain and your body is not something to be taken for granted, and when that relationship begins to have issues, as any relationship is bound to endure, take action! Seek and practice help. You deserve it. There is no shame in maintaining the best beautiful version of you and remember: Beautiful girl, you can do hard things.
To find out more about Dr. Theresa Welles and her practice, you can visit her website.
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