We are thrilled to welcome Claire Grieb to the Embrace Strength Counseling team as a Master’s-level counseling intern. Claire earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Western Oregon University and is currently in the final year of her Master’s counseling program at the University of Denver.
Claire has been a part of several mentorship programs over the last few years, working with adolescents and adults through local middle schools and Project ABLE. She has also honed her skills in working with kids and teens as a substitute teacher. Claire currently offers individual counseling both in person and virtually. To learn more about Claire, read our Q&A below.
What made you want to become a therapist?
As a child I was super anxious and I thought that it was just normal; I thought that’s how everybody was. When I was 16, learning to drive created a lot of anxiety for me, so that was the catalyst to get formally diagnosed with panic disorder.
I saw a therapist for the first time and it worked wonders. I was like, “This is amazing. Wait till other people find out about therapy!” It changed my life and now I want to be able to do the same for other people. Plus, I’ve always been interested in psychology and the brain. So from 16 on, I knew that I wanted to be a therapist, just from my own experience with it.
How would you describe your approach to therapy?
It’s about the clients and whatever they are looking for; I would use a different approach for every individual. So far, I am a very strengths-based therapist. I’ve gotten feedback from supervisors that I naturally draw on people’s strengths and I would say that’s very accurate. I would also describe myself as a humanistic and person-centered therapist and feel very interested in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
What kinds of clients and presenting problems are you most interested in working with?
I am open to working with individuals of any and all ages, but I would say anywhere from 15-30 is my prime. I love working with young adults; I’m super into working with life transitions, adjustment, work/life balance, anxiety, and depression. I really want to learn more about eating disorders but I love to work with body image and self-esteem.
What strengths do you have as a therapist?
What I think of first is the ability to form a connection with people. I know this is broad but I feel like I am personable and make people feel comfortable, which is super important. You can do all this schoolwork and reading and research, but if you can’t make a connection sitting face-to-face with someone, you probably won’t be an effective therapist.
I also feel that I am a good listener and empathetic person. I love to use humor in an appropriate and skillful way. I’m super patient but also very goal-oriented, like if you have a goal, we are going to reach it. I love to get people from Point A to Point B if that’s what they’re looking for.
What drew you to Embrace Strength?
When I was doing research for internship sites, they all started to run together but Embrace Strength stuck out to me. One of the first things that stuck out to me was Willow the therapy dog and the option for animal-assisted therapy.
I also felt very drawn and connected to all of the people who worked here and when I saw that the strengths-based approach is a big part of this practice, I felt like it would be a great fit. Also, this was the first practice I saw that was focused on women’s health- specifically postpartum concerns and body image. Then I saw the option for “walk and talk therapy” and I felt like I had been waiting my whole life to do that; walking and talking are my two favorite things.
So all of this really checked my boxes, and then once I interviewed with Eada and Catherine, it just felt right. It just felt like somewhere I could envision myself. When I interviewed at other locations, I felt a little bit on the outside, but not with ESC. I remember thinking after the interviews, “I REALLY want to get this placement.” I feel so lucky.
What do you do outside of work and school that helps you to live a healthy, balanced life?
I walk every day and listen to music; that’s really important to me. I also like to work out and stay active. I read, I do puzzles, and my nighttime routine is sacred to me. I try not to do anything for work or school past 7pm. Other than that, I love to spend time with my friends and be social at my part-time coffee shop job. I never thought that I would think this, let alone admit it after struggling with panic and anxiety throughout my life, but I do need to socialize to feel good.
If you were not training to be a therapist, what do you think you would be doing?
In a perfect world, I would love to do something with art or being creative. I love to paint, be creative, take photos, and do basically any craft.
If you are interested in scheduling a free consultation with Claire, please reach out to us at info@embracestrengthcounseling.com.