Hidden Gems: Meet Jon & Danielle Soileau of Soileau Partners Psychotherapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon & Danielle Soileau

Hi Jon & Danielle, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Jon and Danielle Soileau founded Soileau Partners Psychotherapy in 2019, initially inside the historic Cosby Building, to integrate the age-old practice of bedside manner, refined hospitality, and an in-depth approach to psychodynamic counseling, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and relational psychoanalysis. This boutique-type private practice is now discreetly tucked inside the historic and beautifully restored Stillwell Building, directly across from the Cosby Building within the historic Library District of downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

The Library District location was selected partly due to its rich history, culture, and feel within this vibrant neighborhood. The Stillwell Building features gorgeous architecture inside and out, gleaming marble floors as you enter the lobby, and high ceiling windows throughout. As clients enter their suite, they are met with some influences of The Soileau’s history in hospitality, consisting of complimentary tasty morsels, a thoughtful selection of beverages, and elevated yet comfortable furnishings, leaving no need unmet.

Soileau Partners Psychotherapy continues to attract many residents and professionals inside and outside the Downtown Kansas City area, searching for a balanced blend of in-depth clinical treatment, personal service, convenience, ambiance, and client privacy. We serve a mix of clients ranging from top executives, medical professionals, professional athletes, lawyers, families, and (many) others who expect a certain level of service and discretion.

Earlier in life, Jon Soileau attended culinary school while learning under the direct tutelage of James Beard Award Winner and Celebrity Chef Celina Tio (Iron Chef America, Top Chef Masters, Bar Rescue) at the highly distinguished American Restaurant. Chef Celina Tio (now the proud owner of The Belfry in Kansas City, Missouri) was instrumental in Jon’s analytical development as he was taught that anticipating guests’ needs and attention to detail was essential in a refined service experience. As a classically trained chef, Jon often served high-profile guests, which included celebrated entertainers and elite professional athletes. It was in Jon’s interaction with guests that he came to recognize how food and beverages inspired nostalgia, bringing about the desire for dinners to share stories of their lives, and it was there that he found himself drawn. Throughout his culinary career, Jon recognized the importance of understanding people’s needs, expectations, and backgrounds and the influence their experiences would have on them. Upon evaluating a counseling graduate school program with Danielle, Jon felt led to enroll and almost immediately fell in love with the clinical application of Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic theory. Jon was accepted as a Fellow at The Greater Kansas City Psychoanalytic Institute during graduate school. For most of graduate school, he learned how to apply theory to treatment through his fellowship experience and the mentorship provided as an intern practicing under a seasoned Analytic Candidate (now a certified Psychoanalyst).

Meanwhile, Danielle Soileau was already on track to pursue her interest in a degree in Psychology while taking on the challenge of raising their three boys. As their three boys entered grade school, Danielle became reacquainted with working as an Optician supporting Dr. Neil Troyer and Dr. Justin Weigel at Insight Vision Center. Danielle continued honing her skills for patient care as an Optician, learning nuanced aspects of private practice operations and the importance of relationship-building with patients and staff. During graduate school, Danielle was introduced to Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic theory, where she instantly felt compelled to learn more, aside from what was offered in her graduate school studies. During graduate school, Danielle was accepted as a Fellow at The Greater Kansas City Psychoanalytic Institute, where she continued her theory study throughout Graduate school. Initially, Danielle felt drawn to Counseling after realizing that no matter what career she was in at the time, individuals seemed comfortable sharing the most intimate moments of their lives with her.

As labor-intensive as building the practice has been, it has been equally rewarding. They have enjoyed watching the practice experience growth in size to include several newer therapists who align with their vision. Their licensed therapists are board-certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors and licensed by individual state licensing boards. This practice also proudly collaborates with medical partners and fellow mental health providers to ensure continuity of care for clients whenever clients need to expand outside their treatment scope.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We have worked hard to build a niche practice that focuses on our client’s needs and desires while offering them security and privacy from the outside world. Another significant aspect of developing our niche is building a culture, which we have done with intention through screening intern candidates, selective recruiting, and personal and professional development. Nearly all our therapists have started as interns at the practice, so we have had an extensive period to discover if we are a good fit for them and if they are a good fit for us. Soileau Partners Psychotherapy enjoys partnering with academic programs throughout Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado to provide clinical interns with an education and learning atmosphere. Integrating student interns allows Jon and Danielle to offer services with significantly reduced rates to clients unable to afford their regular fees when working with our student interns. Our therapists and counseling interns approach client care with a wide breadth of experience and training, making it possible to offer our clients a collective pedigree of niche mental health specialties.

We invest heavily in fostering and building relationships with our fantastic team. We meet as a practice regularly, discussing challenges, reading and discussing clinical literature to expand our client care, and having frequent check-ins one-on-one. When time allows, we like to find other ways to support one another, like scheduling dinner outings and celebrating each other’s accomplishments or special occasions.

One of our most significant challenges in building this niche boutique private practice has been ensuring we procure individuals who understand and embrace our values to provide a personalized service rooted in the richness of authenticity, hospitality, gracious bedside manner, and in-depth psychodynamic and psychoanalytic (attachment-based) interventions.

We’ve been impressed with Soileau Partners Psychotherapy, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The mission at Soileau Partners Psychotherapy is to provide space for the healing and growth of individuals, couples, and families through relationally focused psychodynamic counseling and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. These approaches positively impact how individuals live, relate to others, and feel comfortable being authentically themselves.

While helping to address psychological suffering with our clients, we find emotional bonds strengthen, self-esteem grows, and patterns of behavior can be uncovered and examined, promoting healthier functioning and increasing satisfaction in our client’s personal and professional lives, interests, and relationships.

As board-certified licensed counselors, we specialize in providing in-depth psychotherapy and counseling services to individuals, couples, and families. Our expertise encompasses the treatment of various challenges, such as complex trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, insecurity/self-esteem, borderline personality, narcissistic personality, impulse control, emotional dysregulation, relationship difficulties, dissociative disorders, life transitions, bipolar disorder, high sensitivity, OCD, and stress disorders.

We are humbled to walk alongside and help ease the burdens of life through nurturing relationships and developing treatment paths. We carefully blend directive and non-directive approaches, customizing treatment for each individual according to their needs. A customized approach to client care has been shown to help develop insight into the concerns that initially led them to see us. Collaboratively, we encourage exploration, uncovering, processing, and healthy healing within the therapeutic process with our clients. This process allows the root causes of your concerns to be addressed so as not to cope through life but instead to thrive. We aspire to earn the trust of our clients throughout this process by maintaining honest and ethical practices.

Our practice’s values, goals, and principles safeguard and inspire the delivery of unique and curative patient experiences shaped by unconditional regard for exceptional client care. In short, we are a boutique private practice deeply rooted in the richness of authenticity, gracious bedside manner, and in-depth attachment-based interventions.

Our providers approach patient care with a wide breadth of experiences and training, making it possible to offer a collective pedigree of niche mental health specialties with touches of comfort and hospitality.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
Soileau Partners Psychotherapy was founded in The Library District of Kansas City, Missouri, so we see Kansas City as home. We love our community and all that it offers! Kansas City continues to grow and attract people from all over the globe, which gives our community even more unique qualities. Along with the beautiful skyline, the Library District boasts an extensive array of restored building architectures, which house quite a few locally owned businesses, stunning loft apartment residences, and is the home to our beautiful Central Library, The historic Kansas City Club, and several local favorites such as The Phoenix Jazz Club, Mildred’s, and The Dub (first ever bar devoted to Women’s Sports is set to open in late 2024).

We are a city known for our rich history and trend-setting achievements, such as CPKC stadium, the first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women’s professional team. We are known for our influence on the arts, hospitality, and sports (including culinary), such as talented actors, musicians, artists, chefs, and athletes, drawing attention to national and global influences Kansas City provides.

Pricing:

• Individual Rate (working with our interns): $60
• Individual Rate (licensed clinician): $135
• Couples Rate (working with our interns): $100
• Couples Rate (licensed clinician): $175
• Family Rate: $200+

Contact Info:

• Website: https://SoileauPartnersPsychotherapy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soileaupartnerspsychotherapy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoileauPartnersPsychotherapy/
• Twitter: https://www.x.com/SoileauPartners
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/soileau-partners-psychotherapy-kansas-city