104: Nikki Wetherell on Releasing Trauma to Tap into Strength

Nikki Wetherell is a licensed Counselor in Portland, Maine. She empowers clients to find their natural strengths and overcome challenges in order to live happier, healthier lives. Nikki provides mental health and substance use counseling for adolescents with Day One in South Portland. She has a private practice in Portland with services geared specifically towards the unique needs of women, and volunteers for the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health services. Playing Small Moment Nikki realized she was playing small when she applied for a job that was out of her wheelhouse. She packed up and moved to Colorado to work with children who had lived through one trauma or another in their lives. She had to learn how to stand on her own two feet, with a 50 lb backpack on top of a mountain. She realized at the moment how strong she actually had become. The Wake Up Call While Nikki was in Colorado, she met a 13-year-old girl. One day the teenager came up to Nikki and told her the story of the horrific abuse she had been through. Nikki didn’t know how to help her at the time. She quickly realized that she was going to have to be the one to help her. The ripple effect of helping this girl back in Colorado was the wakeup call Nikki needed, which changed her whole life path.  Style of Leadership Nikki’s leadership style is all about quiet empowerment. People often have much more inner wisdom than they realize, but they are rather afraid to trust it. What Are You Excited About? Nikki is excited about her private practice, which is geared towards the unique needs of women. Leadership Practice Recognizing that she is stuck, or needs help is her way of growing, which in turn keeps her human and humble. Book to Develop Leadership Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown What Would You Tell Your Younger Self? Nikki would tell her younger self to do things even though she is scared. That it is OK to be scared and do it anyways. Embrace the fear and lean into it. Inspirational Quote You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ Eleanor Roosevelt Interview Links www.nikkiwetherellcounseling.com   https://womentakingthelead.com/nikki-wetherell/