Good Neighbor Podcast: Cobb County
Bringing together local businesses and neighbors of Cobb County. Good Neighbor Podcast hosted by Milli M. helps residents discover and connect with your local business owners in and around Cobb County, Georgia.
Is your business serving the residents of Cobb County? Then, we need to talk! Visit gnpCobbCounty.com to schedule your free interview.
Good Neighbor Podcast: Cobb County
E28: Find Your Solace: Healing Through Creativity and Innovative Approaches in Therapy
Discover a refreshing take on mental health therapy in this engaging episode featuring Nicole Tholmer, founder of Solace Intervention. Nicole debunks the common myth that therapy is just for those in crisis, instead highlighting how it can be a valuable tool for everyone seeking growth or support. By infusing her practice with creative methodologies like coloring books, journaling, and holistic wellness techniques like yoga and mindfulness, she creates a unique healing space that empowers her clients to express themselves and heal in an enjoyable way.
Throughout our discussion, Nicole candidly shares her personal journey through childhood adversity, illustrating how her experiences led her to counseling. She emphasizes the importance of engaging clients and meeting them where they are, making personal growth an inviting pursuit rather than an intimidating one. With insights on how to break down the stigma surrounding mental health, Nicole provides valuable guidance for those questioning the legitimacy of seeking help, whether it’s through more traditional means or innovative approaches.
We invite you to dive deep into the conversation and explore how understanding mental wellness can lead to a more fulfilling life—and maybe redefine your perception of therapy along the way. Don’t miss out on the chance to reimagine your journey toward health. Tune in, and let’s redefine healing together! Be sure to subscribe, share your thoughts, and leave a review!
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Millie M.
Speaker 2:Hello everybody, welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. I'm Millie M. Are you in need of a trauma therapist? Well, one might be closer than you think. I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, nicole Thalmer of Solace, intervention, counseling and Training. How are you, nicole?
Speaker 3:Nicole Thalmer of Solace, intervention, counseling and Training. How are you, nicole?
Speaker 2:Hi, nice to meet you. Thank you for having me. Thank you for being here. We are excited to learn all about you and your business. Tell us more about Solace Intervention.
Speaker 3:Okay, solace Intervention is a private practice as well as a publishing company. I work with people who are working through trauma, like childhood adversity, and I create self-soothing techniques like coloring books, journals and puzzles, like seeking funds where puzzles. I believe in making healing accessible and engaging, I'm sorry, which is why I also incorporate holistic wellness practices like breathing and yoga mindfulness.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Well, it sounds like you take people back to their childhood with the coloring books and things like that. How did you get into this business?
Speaker 3:I got into this business. It's deeply personal to me. I always love to help people, but it was my experience with my own childhood adversity and personal growth that really directed me into counseling. I started my career in retail and which gave me a strong foundation for business and organization. I didn't like working in retail extremely stressful so with some journaling and praying, I went into counseling and after earning my degree in master's in counseling, you know I learned a lot of passion for helping others with my skills in strategic problem. So, also as a single mom, I needed a career that gave me flexibility. So starting my private practice allowed me to manage my own time and align with my values. So from there I started creating a space where healing is just about talk therapy. You know it's more about creating, being creative and making therapy accessible and engaging.
Speaker 2:I like that making therapy engaging because, like you said, I think a lot of people do just think therapy is laying on a couch talking about your problems. But to have some more creative ways of releasing those issues definitely sets you apart. What are some myths and misconceptions about your industry?
Speaker 3:Oh, absolutely so. One of the biggest misconceptions about therapy is that it's only for people in crisis, or that sick and health is a sign of weakness. The truth is, therapy is for everyone, whether you're working through trauma, managing stress or simply looking to grow and evolve. I think we can all benefit from having a person that doesn't know us listen to us sometimes.
Speaker 2:Right, and not just your friends and venting as a sounding board, but someone who was actually trained to help you work through those issues. So who are your customers and how do you attract them?
Speaker 3:My customers are primary adults, including professionals, single moms, individuals struggling with relationship issues or estrangements from family. Many of my clients have experienced childhood adversity and they're looking for ways to heal or grow or work through like a stuck point in their life. I track my audience through I'm licensed, I'm paneled with most insurance companies, and also through social media, where I post mental wellness tips and I host live streams, and I also have a newsletter that I send out monthly.
Speaker 2:Perfect. So outside of work, what do you do for fun?
Speaker 3:I love spending time with my friends and family and I enjoy great conversations, creating memories. You know I'm a mom, I have a 12-year-old, so we spend a lot of time doing things and also like crafting and engaging in creative products projects. Excuse me.
Speaker 2:I bet that 12 year old keeps you busy.
Speaker 3:She thinks she's the boss to me, don't they always?
Speaker 2:Well, let's switch gears a little bit. Can you describe a hardship or a life challenge that you overcame and how it made you stronger?
Speaker 3:So transitioning from working in an agency to actually practicing and owning my own agency was a huge challenge. It was a huge leap of faith and, like I, had all this knowledge of how to practice therapy and support people. But I quickly learned that my knowledge of running a business had holes in it and so I had to do a lot of learning, joining coaching groups. I'm still learning on how to do the administration tasks and work on the business and in the business and in the business.
Speaker 2:So that's been the hardest hardship. Well, good for you, because I know a lot of people when they don't know, they let that hold them back and they let it stop them. But you saw it as a challenge. You learned what you needed to learn to move forward. So, nicole, please tell our listeners one thing you would like for them to remember about SOLACE intervention.
Speaker 3:I would like them to remember that therapy doesn't have to be traditional, there's many modalities and different ways of healing, and that healing can be fun and creative and deeply fulfilling, whether it's through coloring, journal or other self-soothing practices. Mental wellness is about finding what works for you.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I know for kids they call it play therapy. I think I like that. So how can our listeners learn more about you?
Speaker 3:They can find me. My website is seek-solacecom and they can reach me by email at nthommer at seek-solacecom. Excuse me.
Speaker 2:Perfect. Well, Nicole, thank you so much for being with us. We really appreciate you and we wish you and your business the best moving forward. Thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpcobbcountycom. That's gnpcobbcountycom, or call 470-470-4506.