Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabella Tambone.
Hi Isabella, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Sure! So currently I work as a mental health therapist with an emphasis on trauma-work. I started volunteering in high schools with children with special needs as a high schooler, because I have two siblings on the Autism Spectrum. I continued to volunteer with organizations that focus on disability inclusion in college. Because of this, I was offered a role to help facilitate group therapy for children with siblings with disabilities through a nonprofit organization in Omaha, Nebraska. This is how I entered the world of therapy as I saw how important it was for kids to feel heard and understood by the adults around them. During this time, was also interning at a domestic violence center and volunteering as a mentor to middle schoolers in a high-trauma area through their counseling program. These two positions helped me recognize that working with trauma is something I’m extremely passionate about! I also expanded from working with children to also working with adults who had experienced interpersonal violence. I moved to the Kansas City area for graduate school and interned in the family care division for a local nonprofit that serves those in the community impacted by interpersonal violence and sexual assault. I became certified in Trauma-Focused CBT, a therapeutic intervention for children who have been through traumatic events. TF-CBT helps children tell their story to a trusted loved one, and seeing how much relief and comfort this brought my clients made me realize I had found my passion. After my internship, I entered a group practice and completed EMDR training, another therapeutic intervention for trauma. I now have a private practice in Prairie Village and provide therapy to children and adults. I specialize in trauma and mainly see those impacted by sexual assault and interpersonal violence. I still feel passionately about my work with those on the autism spectrum as well. I also provided talk therapy for those who want to a soft place to land and process their week, as well as those who want help with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, and OCD.
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?
I think I have been very lucky to be so passionately involved in what I believe in from a young age. I think my biggest challenge, and one I have been very thoughtful about, is being able to provide accessible services to my community and those who need them. My colleagues and I speak often about how we can make sure we’re able to ethically price sessions. I personally work on sliding scale and I am working on accepting medicare/medicaid to help with access to services. Another obstacle I face are laws and injustices that directly impact my clients. I see vulnerable groups of people who are oftentimes not benefited by larger structures in power. A lot of times, we are told systemic issues are individual issues and that we need to bring those into therapy, when it may be completely valid to feel that way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Kansas. I currently run a mental health private practice in the Prairie Village area. I provide talk therapy for individuals in the greater Kansas City area. I believe it is my job to be a caring, non-judgmental witness to any human that needs one. I believe a strong, collaborative relationship between client and therapist is important in my work and usually guides the structure of future sessions. I am certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR trained, and I see a lot of clients who want to address past trauma due to my specialized training in this area. With my trauma-informed background, I tend to believe that the past impacts the present and in order to survive, we often pick up beliefs about ourselves that may no longer ring true. Thoughts that at one time protected us can be some of what is causing us stress in the present. Trauma-focused work has a strong emphasis on compassion and I think that can be the hardest skill for those who have traumatic backgrounds to learn. We often think we need a lot of shame to motivate ourselves to change, when in reality, if that worked, we’d all look pretty different right now! I feel most proud when I see those I’m working with feel better, that may mean even seeing less of me! I have felt the most proud seeing clients reflect on how far they’ve come and realize the way they speak to themselves is kinder and gentler. I love watching clients move about the world in a way that feels easier for them.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that it is important for me to advocate for my clients inside and outside of session. Because I see groups of vulnerable people, it is my job to make sure that I am actively standing up for the rights of my clients. My efforts to ensure the dignity and safety of each of my clients does not stop when I leave my office.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.isabellatambone.com/
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/isabella-tambone-prairie-village-ks/888363
