Today we’d like to introduce you to Tricia Blewitt.
Hi Tricia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in a small city in NH. In NH, back then, a “city” needed to only have 10,000 people to be considered one. I grew up in a nearby town, Newport, “The Sunshine Town”. My parents divorced when I was 7, two people that probably should never have gotten married, as I was an “oops” baby. I have a younger brother. Most of my family, close and extended, live in NH, VT and Maine. It was great seeing everybody at all the birthdays and holidays. My grandmother loved to make all the holidays special for the 50 or so immediate family members: Santa came every year with presents for everybody, the Easter bunny left plastic candy filled eggs all over her yard, the golden egg had $5 in it! In college I would get special packages from her filled with popcorn balls for Christmas, chocolate for Easter.
After graduating from Syracuse University in 1993, with a BS in Speech Communications and minor in Foodservice Management, I moved to Tucson with my best friend Heather, I didn’t want to go back to NH and did not want to stay in NY. The world was my playground and I wanted to play. In Tucson, I got a restaurant manager job that transferred me to Roswell, NM. A year after that I got offered a job working as a foodservice manager at the Sahara in Las Vegas. I went on to also work at the Luxor and the Stardust. Foodservice was something I did because I had experience in it. I worked at a few restaurants in my hometown as a server in high school and college, and also at Syracuse I worked my way up to Student Manager, responsible for more than 100 student workers. I always knew it was something I didn’t feel fulfilled by intellectually.
In Las Vegas, I commented to my roommate at the time, who worked as a casino host, that I wanted to go to the Bahamas on vacation. Traveling has always been a passion, a dream, a wanderlust. As a kid I couldn’t be contained, with my bike I was tooling all over the little town. When I got a car, I was given the keys to so much more of the world! My roommate contacted one of her connections and before I knew it, myself and 10 other family members were staying at the Atlantis. After the trip, the “connection” and I struck up a romance. For a year it was long distance, as he lived in Atlanta. After a year, he asked me to move in with him. I thought, “here we go!”, expectations of the usual romantic notions of engagement, marriage, kids. He was looking for a caretaker, not a life partner. After living together for a few months, I asked him when we were going to take the next steps: he told me when I lose weight. Right then my Prince Charming became my worst nightmare. I have always battled my weight, from developing very early, getting unwanted attention from neighborhood boys to being self conscious and not opening myself up to relationships. And this mother fucker knew that.
We lived in Atlanta for 9 months, then his company transferred him/us to Fort Lauderdale, FL. At least I would be by the beach now. I didn’t have the job, car or money to be on my own in Atlanta, plus I didn’t really care for that city, We lived in Fort Lauderdale for two years, 2004-2006. I stopped working in restaurants, and worked at Carnival Cruise Lines for a year, selling cruises. In 2006, his company wanted to move him to Dallas. I told him I would only go there if we were going to get married. He said ok, yes, we’ll get married. A few months later, after he moved to Dallas to set up his new office and find us some place to live, I had quit my job, the condo was all packed up and rented out, and I was preparing the make the 18 hour drive all by myself as he was working in the Bahamas, he told me he wasn’t ready to get married. By then we had been together for 4 years. I remember driving those 18 hours thinking my life wasn’t even in my control. I get to Dallas in July, with a 105 degree heat, unpacking everything by myself, falling into depression.
I knew I always wanted to go back to school to get my Master’s degree in Counseling. I had looked into it in Las Vegas and Fort Lauderdale, but didn’t know how I would swing it. Now, in Dallas, I looked into it again. I called, sent in all the requirements, did the interviews and was accepted. When I told the boyfriend I wanted to go back to school, he asked me how I was going to pay for it. I commented that I hoped he would help me, as he had a very high paying job. He told me he couldn’t afford it. I remember saying for him not to worry about it, and I got student loans. Sometime later, again I brought up the process of marriage, again he said “you know what you need to do”: lose weight. I told him in two years when I was done with school, I was going to be done with him. Every semester I would comment: “two more semesters and I’m going to be done with you”. He didn’t believe me until the U-Haul was parked outside and I was loading it up. My plan was to move to Austin, and unbelievably my roommate in Las Vegas contacted me to tell me she bought a house in Austin and asked me which bedroom I wanted. When all was said and done, I drove my car and he drove the U-Haul to Austin. At the last minute, he wanted to go down to the justice of the peace, I told him it was too late.
I received my Master’s degree in Counseling in 2008, then had to complete 3000 hours of experience hours to complete my licensure. I worked at various mental health insurance companies and also did volunteer counseling to do so, finally becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor in 2012. I would have my own little office in various suites with other mental health practitioners. After living with my old roommate and her husband for two years I got my own apartment, then in 2017 decided it was time to buy my own place. I bought a condo with a lake view. I love any sort of body of water and being near one brings me peace. In that year, I also decided to start a doctorate program in Clinical Sexology, I had always been interested in what drives people’s sexual interests and wanted to have a counseling speciality. I quit the full time job at an insurance company, and have run my own counseling business full time since then. I completed the PhD program in 2022. Holy crap, now you have to call me Doctor! I NEVER even dreamed that because it sounded so far-fetched!
Throughout the years I have also traveled the world. Two and half years ago I extended a trip with fellow counselors to Kenya to continuing on by myself to the Maldives and Thailand. Earlier this year, I again went on a trip with other sex therapists to Amsterdam and Prague and then continued on for two more weeks by myself to other European countries. I LOVE traveling by myself! It teaches you so much about yourself!
While traveling, I would need the help from other people around me: to help with directions, assistance with bags, advice, etc. That can be applied to my personal life as well. Along the way, I have had help from family, friends, teachers, fellow managers, coworkers, etc. I wholeheartedly agree that people come into our lives for a reason or a season. I hope I always expressed my gratitude for whichever one it was.
If there’s one word I can apply to myself it’s perseverance. I’m not the smartest nor am I the stupidest person, but I am persistent. I have a goal and I make it happen. Sometimes the goals that arise are things I never even dreamed about. Were things tough along the way? Absolutely. Ramen noodles were my main sustenance during certain periods.
But now, I am content that I am living my “dream life”. I have a successful therapy practice. I own a condo on a lake. I travel the world. I spend time with people intentionally. I love and feel loved. What more could I ask for?
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Some of the biggest struggles were issues with the ex-boyfriend, times when I didn’t have an extra penny, times when I didn’t make the smartest decisions, times when I had to learn a hard lesson. Throughout jobs I had experiences where I thought things were going to come crushing down around me but I pulled through. Times when I had to listen to myself versus what others wanted for me. I never wanted to be a conformist. Challenging things have happened to me throughout my life, but I’d rather be identified with the magnificent aspects.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I specialize in Sex Therapy. I am a pretty direct therapist who asks a lot of questions, gives the homework and will call out the bs when I hear it. I love seeing when a client has those insightful moments, of feeling validated and “seen”. I am proud that I have taken my business where it is today by specializing in sex therapy, getting the certified trainings and constantly working on my skills to help my clients. For my dissertation, I developed a board game entitled “Kink Scene” that I can’t wait to get out in the market next year!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Being content. I almost am. 😊
Pricing:
- $250 per session
Contact Info:
