Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Delp.
Hi Megan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I feel as though I’ve been a therapist for most of my life. I have always enjoyed talking to people about their lives, their successes, their struggles. When I made the decision to pursue a counseling career, it just felt natural. I currently have my Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy and achieved my license in 2021 after interning and a whole lot of supervision (3000 hours!). I had two internship sites during my master’s program, each that provided me with valuable information about being a therapist but also how to create my own business. Both internship sites stressed the importance of being a trauma-informed mental health practitioner which has guided my additional education after my master’s program. I was able to become certified as a Clinical Trauma Professional, which allows me to help my clients on a deeper level.
Throughout my time as a therapist, I have felt honored to hear peoples’ stories and be able to develop trusting relationships with my clients. Starting my own therapy practice felt daunting, but I knew I was ready to take the dive when I moved to Austin. There is so much energy in this city that inspires me to go out and get what I want for myself! I see other young professionals trying to create more purpose in their vocation, and I want to both be part of that movement and help others achieve that dream. In my personal life, I love exploring the parks around Austin with my husband Alex and our dog Olive. We are newer to the area so it’s been fun to be in an environment that’s so different than where we grew up in the northeast! I take barre classes to keep me level, try all of Austin’s restaurants to bring in some new flavors, and go to as many live music and comedy shows that I can! Austin is absolutely a great place for me to grow as an individual and as a new business owner.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road for me has been, thankfully, relatively smooth. It has been a lot of hard work, but I have known what I’ve wanted to do for a long time and so I feel it’s been a clear path forward. The struggles I have faced were mostly the self-inflicted kind: over-committing myself to assignments, taking on more clients than I can manage, not setting professional boundaries. Over time, I have learned how to balance my needs and my clients’ needs, but I know I need to stay diligent. I’m looking forward to adding some other therapists to my team this year to help me stay balanced!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Bloom & Thrive?
My therapy practice is based out of Austin, but due to COVID I am fully virtual for the time being. I am a Marriage and Family Therapist, but the clients I work with the most tend to be Millenial/Gen Z individuals who are ready to figure out who they are and build a life they love. I specialize in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) which teaches really fundamental emotion skills like mindfulness, regulating emotions day-to-day, getting through emotional crises, and building communication skills. I also provide trauma therapy, specifically using EMDR as my tool of choice. Through trauma therapy, my clients are able to dive down into their past, figure out where their negative messages are coming from (things like, “I’m not good enough”, “Other people aren’t safe”) and replace those messages with healthier ones! So, “I’m not good enough” can become “I can try new things, not be good at them, but still be an awesome human”. Basically, find a more balanced view of themselves and the world. I have found that the combination of learning emotion-based skills through DBT to build a solid foundation, then resolving traumas and gaining a new outlook, is a really powerful combination for healing and improving overall mental health. The company’s name Bloom & Thrive represents the work that I love to do with my clients – we work to make choices more intentional so that they aren’t just getting through their day, they are blooming as a person and thriving in life.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was absolutely an introvert! I had a few close friends, was heavily invested in ballet, read hundreds of books, and was very much a people-pleaser. Ballet was the best outlet for me – I loved the music, learning new routines, having healthy movement. I’ve actually started up ballet again in Austin! I took a few classes at Ballet Austin – highly recommend checking them out. I’ve always felt that I knew who I was, but I’ve only recently felt like I could be that person in the real world. My husband has supported that journey since day one, always encouraging me to express myself rather than be a muted version of myself to avoid attention. I think that journey is what helped me feel confident enough to start my own private practice!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bloomandthrive.co
- Instagram: @bloomandthrivewithme
