We are very excited to welcome Audra Uht, LPCC to our team!
We shared an interview full of laughter and depth, where we explored what drew her to become a therapist (after years of climbing the corporate ladder), talked about how life is always changing, why therapy is worth it, and the power of showing up exactly as you are.
Read on to hear more from Audra:
What drew you into the counseling field? Why did you become a therapist?
That’s a great question! I feel like it was such a long process for me. I think I knew years ago that counseling was something that I felt drawn towards. I had this natural bent towards connecting with others, using empathy, compassion, and active listening. But it took years for me to actually be ready to step into counseling.
Before I became a therapist, I spent 15 years in the corporate world. I started out in insurance and worked my way up the corporate ladder. I spent a long time trying to figure out what I wanted to do, what my goals were. After that, I went into ministry and worked at my church for a while as I was putting myself through grad school.
It’s really cool that I finally got here, but it took a long time. And that’s a huge part of my story, that it took different jobs for me to get to this one job that I know that I’m meant to do. But it took me figuring out that other jobs weren’t the best fit for me.
Now, it means so much to me to be able to spend my days sitting with clients, with people in all stages of life, working out who they are and what they want out of life.
What would you say to someone who’s in a season of transition, and thinking about going to therapy? Is it helpful?
Yeah! You get out of counseling what you put into it. And if we put our whole selves into therapy, we get to discover new things about ourselves. In seasons of change, we can feel unmoored sometimes–we might need someone to help us get back to ourselves, back to the person God calls us to be.
Maybe you have things that have laid dormant for a long time, things that you never thought you wanted to pay attention to or that you could pay attention to. We may have been so busy that we didn’t really attend to ourselves (or were scared to).
Counseling helps us slow down enough to reconnect with ourselves, who we are and what we want out of life. So coming to counseling can be intimidating, but I think it’s totally worth it.
What about someone who’s going to counseling for the first time?
Embrace it. It’s totally okay to feel whatever you’re feeling. If you’re excited, if you’re ready, if you’re motivated, that’s great. Or maybe you feel intimidated or you’re second guessing, “Why am I here? Why did I sign up for this?” All of those feelings are normal and they’re welcome.
In fact, they’re part of the process. I would say that counseling is a process and to embrace it as much as you can. Really try to try to dive in and see what you discover.
I had a professor in grad school who would always say, “Explore, explore, explore.” If you’re feeling nervous, there’s something in that. There’s something important that you can learn about yourself. What does that mean for me that I feel scared today? We can work together to identify whatever feeling that is, and tease it out as fast or as slow as you want.
What types of clients do you enjoy working with?
I see adults from ages 18 to 80+! It’s fun to see people from different aspects of life. Our adult lives are complex and we go through so many different stages. It’s helpful to sit with someone who can help you navigate whatever circumstances you find yourself in.
My clients are often dealing with aspects of grief and loss, or anxiety and depression, or especially life transitions, that’s huge.
We often feel like we just have to keep going and plow through whatever season we’re in, but I’ve learned sometimes the best way through it is to actually slow down and sit with someone. It’s an honor to learn from my clients as we sit together and sift through the circumstances that bring them to counseling.
Anything else you want your clients to know about you?
I might be taller than you expect! Haha! I’ve been 6’2 since I was 13 years old.
But in all seriousness, I think I would want my clients to know that we’re in this together, that this is a partnership, that I am for them, I am for their growth, and I’m for positive change in their life.
I’m also ready and willing to listen to and explore the things that might have been difficult to explore or express in the past. So whoever you find yourself being on any given day, if you have therapy with me, I welcome that version of you that day.
We’re excited to have Audra on the team!
As we said our goodbyes and the winter morning sun shone through the curtains, I felt feeling a profound new gratitude for the shifting seasons of my life, thanks to Audra’s warmth and insight. I wish you could have been there with us.
Audra has an authentic, welcoming, and deeply thoughtful spirit, and I left feeling truly seen. If you’re looking for a therapist who will be your rock in your seasons of change, or need someone who cultivates a peaceful place where you can rest your soul along your journey, she is your gal.
Audra works at our Colorado Springs and Castle Rock locations, and is also available for online sessions in Colorado. She offers after-school and after-work time slots for counseling for individuals, young adults, older adults, and anyone in a season of change.
Click below to schedule your appointment, or request a free phone consult with Audra:
