Q&A with Liz Gray of Organize and Thrive
In this Q&A series, Liz Gray, LCSW, RPT, and Clini-Coach® of Organize and Thrive starts us off with an interview with… herself! Stay tuned for more interviews in the coming months!
Part 1: ABOUT YOU
Everyone’s favorite open-ended question. Tell us about yourself (i.e. hobbies, quirks, etc.)!
Hey there, I’m Liz! You may know me as the owner of Organize and Thrive or proud momma to Bailey the mini goldendoodle, but did you know I’m also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
“Tell me about yourself” is always a tough question for me to answer. Anytime someone asks, “what do you like to do in your free time,” I freeze. Where do I start? Omg I can’t think of a single thing I like to do!!
At the risk of being judged by super adventurous and fun people, my truth is:
I’m a homebody. I’m introverted and Highly Sensitive. I’m easily startled and have (diagnosed) generalized anxiety and (undiagnosed) misophonia. Nothing makes me happier than being under a heated blanket with a bag of pretzels + Bailey. I don’t like circles or odd numbers (ironically, my wedding day was 7.19.15). I love being crafty and creative, but give me a blank canvas and my mind goes blank! I find comfort in color-coding and organizing, yet it’s a real struggle to keep my house clean.
A difficult situation that impacted your life’s trajectory.
A few years ago, during the first week of my new job, I was attacked by a client and ended up with a concussion. While the event itself was scary (and painful!), I was most impacted by the aftermath. The culture of the job was “everyone gets hurt… welcome to the club… fill out this incident report” (without first being asked how I was doing after a HEAD INJURY)!
For two years, I went to work every day fearing for my safety. I felt physically and emotionally unsafe, worried that I could be attacked at any moment. I knew it was not the right job for me, but I also felt like a failure because I (seemingly) couldn’t handle the pressure the way everyone else did. I felt lonely, isolated, and scared. When I left the work environment, I made it a priority to find safety and comfort in any future jobs or environments.
Are you a Highly Sensitive Person?
Yes, I proudly identify as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). It was such a relief- after so many years of feeling “different” to finally have a name for what I’ve experienced my entire life. Of course, there are times that I find myself thinking, “I wish I had thicker skin… whyyyy do I have to care so much??” However, over the years I have learned to embrace my sensitivity, connect with other HSPs, and see all the good I’m able to do in the world because of my sensitivity.
What’s your greatest strength or superpower?
My superpower is editing, reshaping, twisting, and condensing information from a person’s brain… or a bunch of written resources- and compiling them into something that actually makes sense!
What’s your biggest internal barrier?
As a HSP who also has anxiety, I am easily overwhelmed when inundated with lots of information or too many options to choose from. However, I tend to bring this on myself by trying to fix overwhelm by adding more overwhelm! It’s a nasty cycle that’s hard to get out of!
What’s your biggest external barrier?
I’ve moved 15 times in the past 18 years and boy oh boy has that been hard on this HSP! This includes living in a new place almost every year during college and graduate school; a flood in my late 20s that led to moving in with my boyfriend of 4 months at the time (who is now my husband of 6 years); moving across the country (from IL to CT) and back to IL in less than a year, AND moving 3 times throughout the pandemic!
I felt unsettled before, during, and after each move and it often took months (if not longer) to feel stable again. Thankfully, we bought a house in 2021 and plan to stay here for a long time!
Part 2: ABOUT YOU AS A THERAPIST
What type of therapist are you? Who do you serve?
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in IL, Registered Play Therapist, Certified School Social Worker, and Certified Clini-Coach®.
A few years ago, I made the switch from working exclusively with children to now working mostly with teens & young adults in private practice settings. I’ve been 100% telehealth since March 2020. Using a combination of EMDR, virtual sandtray therapy, and psychodynamic therapy, I work with clients with histories of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and trauma as well as those wanting to understand themselves better as a HSP.
How long have you been practicing? What settings have you worked in?
I graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with my MSW in 2011. I’ve had a few jobs in community mental health (including an overnight position that was 8pm-8:30am. Yikes! That was hard even for this night owl)! I was also an Early Intervention clinician, a School Social Worker in an elementary school and private therapeutic day school, group practice employee and had a solo private practice as well.
I created Organize and Thrive (formerly called Organize Your Private Practice) in 2018 and became a certified Mindset + Systems Clini-Coach® in 2021!
What made you decide to become a therapist?
My high school guidance counselor, Mrs. Kuceyeski was my biggest supporter throughout high school, and I knew I wanted to do something in the helping profession like her. I wanted to work with children since I was old enough to babysit and be a camp counselor, so it only made sense to go to graduate school to become a School Social Worker.
Did you ever waver in that? Was there a time you tried (or thought about doing) something else?
I took a small detour from my path to becoming a Social Worker right after I graduated with my bachelors from the University of Illinois. Although not in the original plan, I joined Teach for America in St. Louis, MO and became a 1st grade teacher in a small alternative school. I knew at the interview it was not the right school setting for me, but I didn’t have the option to decline the position.
With little training and support– and most of the children never having attended kindergarten– I put so much pressure on myself to be a good teacher that I sobbed to my mom every day for weeks. I only lasted 2.5 weeks in that job.
In a weird turn of events, I found myself living in the city where I was born (St. Louis) and my parents’ college alma mater town. I worked at a nonprofit for a year before pursuing my MSW at Washington University in St. Louis.
While I am no longer an active School Social Worker, as I’ve let my path of a therapist evolve over the years, I use my play therapy skills every day in my clinical practice (yes, even with adults)!
What’s your favorite metaphor, analogy, or story you share with clients?
What’s really funny is I can think of the most beautiful metaphors during sessions (usually having something to do with water or nature), but I can’t (for the life of me!!) remember what I said outside of session! I think this really speaks to the connection I have with my clients… and also my bad memory!
Part 3: ABOUT YOU AS A BUSINESS OWNER
What made you decide to start Organize and Thrive?
When I moved to Connecticut in 2018, I felt isolated, overwhelmed, and depressed. I had been part of a Mastermind group before I moved, and they encouraged me to take my love of creativity, organization, and community and create a facebook group and business. That’s how Organize and Thrive was born!
What kind of organizer are you?
No surprise here, I’m a perfectionist Pat! I love having systems in place and helping others set up streamlined systems to gain time, flexibility, & freedom!
3 favorite time-management & productivity tips for an overwhelmed biz owner:
- Figure out who or what helps keep you accountable. Maybe it’s chocolate or hot tea. Maybe it’s spending time with your partner or fur baby. Maybe it’s external validation + accountability. Stop resisting what doesn’t work and allow yourself to do what works… even if it feels silly or embarrassing.
- Ask for (and accept) help. It’s almost impossible to run a successful business completely on your own. Try to have at least a few of these: therapist, business coach, mastermind group, business bestie, and/or a virtual assistant to support you personally and professionally.
- Focusmate! I love this accountability coworking platform and use it multiple times a week. It’s free for up to 3 sessions a week, or a small fee for unlimited sessions.
What’s your favorite way to “organize and thrive?”
My favorite ways to “organize and thrive” are 1. color-coding spreadsheets and 2. finding new organization tools to buy at office supply stores!
Is there a product or service you offer to overwhelmed therapists? Please describe:
I loooove doing 1:1 VIP Days with therapists who need a little encouragement & boost to get their business systems in order. I also have digital products and a merch store!
Where can we learn more about you?
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