Members of The Refreshed Therapist Network (RTN) live all over the world, work in a variety of settings and disciplines, are of all ages and cultures, and represent the richness of the psychotherapy field. And, they have one more thing in common: They are committed to the refreshed therapist life. Even when this life is a struggle, they come together to keep trying and learning.
It’s my honor to bring to you the stories of our members, in a brief interview format.
The purpose of these features is to encourage you, by letting you know that you are not alone. That as a community of therapists, when we go through triumphs and struggles, and we can succeed by coming together.
What is your full name?
Jumoke Omojola
Where can people learn more about you?
Where do you live?
Omaha , Nebraska
What is your professional discipline?
Social Work
What do you currently do for work?
Solo private practice.
What is the most challenging aspect of being a therapist, or doing the work you do?
Growing the practice, juggling therapy with administrative work, and some [critical feedback] is challenging to hear.
What support have you sought, and found, for the challenge mentioned above?
RTN! I have read books. [In the past,] I’ve joined therapist groups, taken classes, paid for boot camps and coaches. Some were helpful, and others were just costly.
What is most rewarding about your work?
I sell hope, or that’s how I often describe my work. When I notice hopefulness and strength when there was hopelessness and despondency, I am energized and encouraged.
What do you wish you had known when you were a newly graduated therapist?
That therapy is more than the sessions, and that it's okay to wish to be paid more than pittance. That if you work for yourself you are a business person. I thought I would offer good service and people would show up. [That’s not true, and in business,] it can be easy to get burnt out.
Who has been the most positive influence in your career? Why?
It might sound cheesy but I want to say God, my family, and a very wonderful friend. Faith in God, even when I am conflicted, has encouraged me in my practice. My family has provided a cushion for me to re-invent myself at a more mature age. My friend who is not a therapist keeps me grounded with love, humor, and reality checks.
How do you stay refreshed in work and life?
Prayer, dance, gardening, quilting, and spending time with family and friends helps me stay refreshed in life. Learning new skills, perspectives, etc., helps refresh my work. I am a professional student!
What do you most enjoy about being a Refreshed Therapist Network Member?
RTN provides me a supportive cushion for the isolation that one sometimes feels in solo practice. I have also benefited from the [resource] library . . . I love the richness of information. Not least alI, I love Ili’s personal touch.
What book(s) are you reading right now?
Microggressions in Everyday Life, by Derald W Sue; Maybe (Maybe Not): Second Thoughts From A Secret Life, by Robert Fulghum
Jumoke Omojola, LCSW
Is there anything you'd like to add?
I would love to start a podcast to let immigrant women tell their stories. I believe it is necessary, but I have thought about it for years—even before I had gone to school for social work, when immigration was not a buzz word. Many of us had professional successful careers before "life happened" [i.e., immigration], and we had to start life over. It's worth hearing these stories.