Today we’d like to introduce you to Carly Ostler.
Hi Carly, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was really lucky to have found psychology early. My mom signed me up for a field trip meant to introduce teen girls to male-dominated fields when I was 14. I took a course in psychology where we spent two hours talking about dream interpretation and I fell deeply in love. I checked out every book and scoured online resources to learn everything I could about brains and relational behavior. I was exposed to a broad scope of the field when I did an internship with a psychologist at 16 years old. It enabled me to start to hone in on what work I felt most interested in. I continued to work in psychiatric hospitals, therapeutic daycare programs, treatment centers and human sexuality research until I started working directly with clients in my Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy program at Brigham Young University. When I finished my Master’s program, I immediately started working with the same psychologist I interned with when I was 16 in her community mental health agency. After 6 years of group practice, I opened my own private practice, rooting into feminist and values-based business practices. It was, and continues to be, important to me to engage with the people I work with from my values and encourage others to do the same. Having had so many different experiences in the field of psychology, I was able to see how different systems were and weren’t working and to root the foundation of my practice into building relationships. It remains important to me to be authentic with the people I work with, while maintaining professional, therapeutic boundaries. I get to have intimate relationships with the people I work with, and engage in meaningful, relational work, which feels like the biggest privilege of my life.
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?
I don’t believe anyone gets a smooth road. I do understand how privilege works and how some things seem to go smoother for some in one area of life or another, but I don’t believe in creating hierarchies around trauma and pain. From my 20 years of studying trauma, I know that the right resources can transform trauma into invaluable wisdom and expertise. Smooth roads make for uninteresting lives and people, which creates a rougher road later in life.
So, yes, like most therapists, I was traumatized from a young age and was driven to make sense of my pain. I grew up in a religious cult, in an incestuous, codependent family, as a deeply masked neurodivergent queer person, which led me into an abusive marriage and exploitative workplaces. It was a rough, but rewarding road out of the cult, my marriage, and all of the internal and external systems of oppression. Learning how to care for myself, protect myself and love myself has not only given me the capacity needed to show up for others, but also the skills to teach others how to better love themselves and those around them. There are daily bumps in the road and I am grateful for all they teach me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Private Practice. I work with people online as well as in person. I work with relational dynamics and individuals. I am extensively trained in trauma, and I work from a systemic lens. I utilize EMDR, AEDP, somatic based approaches, polyvagal theory, parts work and psychedelic assisted therapy. Basically, I like to work with a lot of different tools to help people build lives they love. I am known for helping people get clear on what they actually want, identify and move through obstacles and feel confident in their ability to handle whatever life brings their way. I am most proud of the work I do for and on myself. I could not show up in the ways I do if I did not prioritize practicing what I preach. I like to believe that my non-pathologizing, decolonizing approach sets me apart. I am a radical, neurodivergent, witchy, kinky queerdo artist and I more often than not work with the like.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I am a practicing artist and my art practice greatly informs my work. I am currently working with another incredible artist on a oracle deck using themes of wild clay for personal transformation. I’m an incredibly emotional being and both ceramics and tarot have been wildly useful containers for processing what moves through me.
Pricing:
- My rate is $200 for a 50 minutes session. I have a few sliding scale slots and I offer support in submitting superbills for out of network reimbursement. I offer free, 20 minute consultations to feel out fit and answer any questions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carlyostler.com
- Instagram: @carlyostlertherapy
Image Credits
Megan T Baker
Carly Ostler
