Today we’d like to introduce you to Vicki Gardiner.
Hi Vicki, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I didn’t start out knowing I would become a therapist, coach, author, and entrepreneur. My path unfolded in layers.
I began my career in education — first as a teacher, then as a school counselor. What I discovered during those years was that the conversations happening outside the classroom were often more powerful than the lessons inside it. I saw how many people were quietly carrying anxiety, responsibility, grief, and invisible pressure with no real space to process it.
That realization led me to become a Licensed Professional Counselor and open my private practice in Georgetown, Texas, where I work with adults — both men and women — navigating anxiety, life transitions, relationship strain, caregiving stress, and identity shifts. Sitting across from so many different stories has given me a deep respect for how complex adulthood really is.
Over time, I began to notice a particular pattern among many of the women I worked with. They were capable, loving, high-functioning — and completely depleted. They weren’t broken. They were overloaded. They were the steady ones. The planners. The emotional anchors. The ones who held everything together.
That’s what led me to build an online community specifically for women and overgivers — a space for support, education, and sustainable strategies. It’s where I teach frameworks like CARE, designed to help women move from reactive overfunctioning to clear, confident direction. It’s not about abandoning the people they love. It’s about creating care that includes them.
Along the way, I’ve also written children’s books to help families talk about emotions earlier and launched a podcast and newsletter to reach people beyond the therapy room. I’ve also written gratitude journals & a planner.
Today, whether I’m working with a client one-on-one or leading a community online, the mission is the same: helping adults build emotional clarity, stronger boundaries, and sustainable rhythms that actually work in real life.
What started as private conversations has grown into something bigger — a commitment to helping people step out of silent overwhelm and into steady, grounded leadership in their own lives.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
There have been seasons of stretching, doubt, and reinvention. Going back to school, building a private practice from the ground up, stepping into entrepreneurship, learning marketing, writing books, launching programs — none of that came with a clear blueprint. There were moments of wondering if I was doing too much, moments of imposter syndrome, and moments of carrying the emotional weight that comes with doing deeply personal work.
Building something meaningful while also living a full life isn’t easy. There were financial risks, long hours, learning curves, and times when growth required me to outgrow old versions of myself.
But here’s the honest truth: I’ve loved it.
Not because it’s been effortless — but because I genuinely feel aligned with my purpose. When you know the work you’re doing matters, when you see lives shift, when you watch someone reclaim their confidence or finally feel understood, the hard parts take on meaning.
Every step — even the uncomfortable ones — felt like movement toward who I’m meant to be and what I’m meant to build.
So no, it hasn’t been easy. But it has been deeply fulfilling. And I wouldn’t trade the journey for a smoother road.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor and coach. I work with adults navigating anxiety, life transitions, relationship strain, chronic stress, and identity shifts. In my private practice, I see both men and women and focus on helping them build emotional clarity, healthier boundaries, and sustainable rhythms that support long-term well-being.
Over time, I became especially known for my work with high-capacity, responsible adults — the ones who hold everything together for everyone else. Many of them are what I call “over-givers” or the steady ones in their families. They’re capable and strong, but often depleted. I specialize in helping them move from reactive over-functioning to clear, confident direction using practical, psychology-informed frameworks that actually work in real life.
Beyond the therapy room, I’ve created an online community for women and overgivers who want education, structure, and support as they rebalance care in their lives. I’m also an author and podcast host, creating resources that make emotional health approachable and actionable for families and midlife adults.
One of the honors I’m most proud of is winning the 2025 Georgetown’s Best Silver Award for Therapy Practice. That recognition meant so much because it came from the very community I serve. It affirmed not just the quality of the clinical work, but the trust and relationships built over time.
What sets me apart is the combination of clinical depth and practical structure. I don’t just offer insight — I offer tools. My work bridges therapy and real-world application. Clients walk away not only feeling understood, but equipped. I bring warmth and directness together — compassionate, but clear. Supportive, but grounded in strategy.
At the heart of it all, what I’m most proud of is creating work that makes people feel seen, understood, and genuinely supported — not talked at, not fixed, but strengthened. Watching someone go from carrying everything alone and feeling stretched thin to standing steady and confident in their own decisions — that’s the part that never gets old. That’s why I do this.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is family and community.
Everything I do flows from that. Family is where we learn who we are — and sometimes where we forget who we are. Community is where we remember we’re not meant to carry life alone. Both shape how we show up in the world.
I’m also deeply grateful for every single person who trusts me with their story. There is nothing casual about someone sitting across from you — or tuning into your words — and allowing you into their vulnerable places. I don’t take that lightly. Supporting others isn’t just my profession; it’s a responsibility and a privilege.
At the end of the day, success to me isn’t just growth or recognition. It’s knowing I’ve strengthened the people and the community around me — and that the work I do ripples into homes, relationships, and future generations.
Pricing:
- Session fees for therapy from $150
- The CARE Reset- The CARE Reset is a psychology-informed digital guide and video series designed for overwhelmed adults who feel responsible for everyone else. $27
- The CARE Check-In – FREE. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/VwcMEyU/caregiverburnoutsnapshot
- Online Group Coaching- coming soon
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vickigardiner.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vickigardinercoaching/
- Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DTU8XfJjU/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@vickigardiner?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
