"Just keep going. No feeling is final" Ranier M. Rilke
Kim Romen, MSW, LCSW
Therapist and Founder of Family Perspectives, LLC
Soy bilingue en inglés e español. Visita mi pagina de espanol y hablame o mandame un texto. Quiero ayudar!
Sure I have credentials and my story of why I started my practice but what I really want you to know about me is:
I care, I won’t judge you and I’m human, too. I’ve been through stuff, too. With some work it’s helped me to blossom into an understanding, empathetic human being.
We’ve done and said things we wish we could take back. We’ve made choices that didn’t turn out so well, but then there was a lot we did really right and we grew from it. My feeling is that those who are willing to truly take a good look at themselves and do the hard work towards being the best person they can be is what’s most important. A little humility and a little effort can go a long way when it comes to working on ourselves.
I’ve always been interested in psychology, relationships, and helping others. I’ve done tons of work on myself, I’ve been in therapy as the client. I’ve learned what is helpful in therapy and what might not be so helpful. I believe it’s a courageous thing to go to therapy and we are stronger if we are willing to work on ourselves. Growth is empowering and it’s also costly not to change. I love it. It’s worth it. YOU ARE WORTH IT!
Are we a good fit? This is my style:
-I tend to laugh a lot with my clients.
-You’ll hear me talk about “balance” a lot. I’m not black and white about many things. I like to “customize” therapy for each individual, couple or family. No two people are alike. Otherwise you could just learn what you need to learn in a book. Don’t get me wrong-you can save some time and money by reading as well and I often give homework or book suggestions.
-I’m goal oriented. You’ll see me writing as soon as we start meeting. I write goals and we review them to see if I’m hearing you correctly and if I’m on the right track. We make the goals measurable and that’s our “roadmap” so that if there is nothing specific that is desired to discuss on a particular week we always have that to go back to. It’s also a great tool to let us see your progress.
-I am gentle but direct when needed. We have a conversation on the first session where I ask how you feel about me interrupting if someone is getting off track or if in couples therapy one person is talking more than the other person…
Specific issues I enjoy helping
Helping people figure themselves out in the relationship
Codependence
Anger Management
Stress Management
Infidelity
Emotional, verbal, and physical abuse
Lying
Depression
Parenting
My clients say things like…:
-They would’ve started counseling sooner if they would’ve known the benefits and outcome.
-They wouldn’t wish the pain from the affair on anyone but they’d do it again as they never would’ve done the work to get to the deep, wonderful place they are now at. Before the affair they were a “7” on a 1-10 scale for marital satisfaction but now they’re at a 9, 10, or “more than 10.”
“You made a big impression on my life whether you realize it. I’m sober 4 years and in such a better place.”
“You had such a huge impact on our lives. We’re so happy now, thanks to you. There’s no way we could’ve done this without you.”
-They appreciated that I spend the time to try to get to understand them and help direct them from the point where they are at, not just giving them advice of what I feel is best for them.
They enjoyed the balance of process plus practical tools that they received from sessions.
Although therapy can be difficult, they start feeling better right away, many times even at the first session.
Kim’s Book Recommendations:
Outside of work hours
When not with clients I enjoy hiking, mountain biking, camping, and “urban homesteading” including gardening, fruit tree growing, baking sourdough bread, making fermented foods, and raising chickens. I also enjoy bird rescue, music festivals, traveling, and time with family and friends.
I’m so excited to take this journey with you. I would be honored to walk alongside you on this beautiful path of healing and starting new.
You took the first step. You are here. Take the second step. Give me a call, shoot me a text or an email.
You’ll feel more relieved each step you take!
My job as I see it:
I started Family Perspectives with the idea that humans each have a different perspective on things and each perspective has value.
Yes, there are times when I help my clients see that their actions are not healthy, but so much of the time I see my job as trying to help the client identify and communicate their needs and help them process what they can do to best achieve those goals.
I have regular conversations with my clients about their comfort level in sessions and what works for them.
Clientele I work with
I enjoy working with individuals, couples, and families.
My specialty area is with couples and individuals with relationship issues.
I have experience with children, parenting, and adults, all the way up to geriatrics.
I am bilingual in English and Spanish and have extensive personal and professional experience with various Latino cultures.
I work with clients who are with Christian ideals
My specialty area
While I have experience with various populations, I work mostly with couples and individuals with relationship issues. Couples-work is my passion. I get deep satisfaction out of seeing the couples I treat go from being on the verge of divorce to having a happiness and closeness they hadn’t had for years. I’ve even had clients who said they’d married for the wrong reasons and never realized they could have such a level of intimacy with their mate.
Marriage and relationships are difficult and complicated. I, myself, have been married since 1997, so besides the couples I help, I realize first hand, the struggles marriage can bring. We bring into relationships presumptions, expectations, our own issues, and see through a filter of what the world has taught us through our past experiences. Throw kids into the mix and things get even more complicated. My husband and I have three children of our own, so I know that from first hand, also. We are also in a biracial marriage which brings it’s own challenges to learn to maneuver.
I am a firm believer that most marriages can get through almost anything if both partners make an effort and are willing to look at their own areas they can change in, not just their spouse’s faults. It can be extremely hard work to get through certain things like infidelity and hurtful and engrained patterns, but it can be harder for couples who don’t make an effort, don’t have the satisfaction to know they tried, and end in divorce, especially when children are involved. Even if a couple decides not to stay together, if issues aren’t worked through, the chances of continuing in the same patterns in another relationship are very high and statistics show that even more second marriages end in divorce than do first marriages. It’s usually easier to heal the first relationship than to start, again and often times challenges of involving stepchildren or custody issues.
While the success of the relationship is up to you and your partner, I will fight very hard along side of you, encouraging you to stick it out when it seems most difficult. I won’t push my values on you, but I will tell you statistics and perspective to help you see all sides along with skills to practice outside of session.
Why did I start Family Perspective, LLC?
I had worked as a psychotherapist and crisis therapist between 1999 and 2008 (and as a mental health worker and in other capacities from 1994-1999). After having seen the benefits of doing therapy in client’s homes and seeing the need for in-home therapy in the private arena, I decided to open Family Perspectives, LLC in 2007. From the beginning I found the benefit of having more than one therapist on the team who can work together on cases if so desired, and expand the areas of expertise. With my already out of the box style of thinking, we also saw the many benefits of taking therapy to the outdoors and expanded to walk and talk therapy.
I take great interest in that my clients meet their goals and get what they need out of therapy.
I am big on meeting people where they are at, having patience and not giving up hope, pushing as much as is appropriate, and educating my clients. I will provide a safe, supportive environment for you to explore the areas of your life that you feel a need to change.
Modalities I use most:
Strengths-based modality
Family systems theory
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Solutions-focused therapy
Client-centered therapy
Sue Johnson’s Emotionally focused therapy (EFT), based off of adult attachment
John Gottman method
With humility, a little bit of motivation, and effort, most people can change. If you take the first step to make the appointment, I can help with the rest.
Yes, the skills a therapist brings to the table are very important, but the softness in your heart is what I want to get at because that’s what really causes change. Therapy can be hard, but we work together to help you find the balance of an honest challenge and the softness and vulnerability to cause change.
There are times I give examples, I teach, and give homework, but first I come as a fellow human being who has been through stuff, too. I deeply empathize with my clients. That’s what will help you to feel comfortable to be real and honest with yourself and with me. Then, sometimes I need to “reparent” in a sense to help heal some of the wounds caused in childhood that are brought into our adult lives and our relationships. We aren’t pointing fingers or blaming in therapy. We are healing and moving towards the answers to grow. I’m honored and thrilled each time someone allows me to go along this path with them. I’d love to hear from you, too!