We had the good fortune of connecting with Larisa Traga and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Larisa, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
In my private practice we help people work through their past and its impact on their present so that they can show up as their best selves in their personal and professional lives. We do this by providing weekly, bi-weekly or intensive EMDR therapy and integrating it with other Evidence Based Practices like IFS, Motivational Interviewing, DBT, TRM and CBT.

In my work as a trainer and consultant, I provide trainings on Evidence Based Practices to support both clinicians and non-clinicians in their work with clients who are seeking services. Based on the feedback I have received, the trainings help participants feel more confident and better equipped to help their clients with their treatment goals. Through individual and group consultations, I support providers in growing their skills and becoming more advanced in their application of modalities such as EMDR, Motivational Interviewing, Emotional Intelligence, Parenting and Leadership and the integration of them.

By working with so many providers, I am able to have a wider reach of helping the community and ultimately, the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What I would like the world to know about me and my story is that it has been a challenging one, however my passion about what I do and the results that I see is what drives me to continue. As a refugee who came to this country as a teen-ager, I never imagined I would have my own business one day and be able to touch so many lives with what I do.
My grit and resilience has helped me overcome many challenges in my life and even my business is a result of becoming unable to work an 8-5 job due to becoming ill with valley fever. The divine has a plan for me and my journey of helping professionals feel confident in their work with complex clients, which in return will reduce burn out. I am grateful every day that I have been able to build up my skills to the point where I can work for myself and what started out as an offer to help my community has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for my own professional growth.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting the Central Coast where I live I would take them to the spots that I enjoy over and over again. This would include a trip to Pismo Beach, Avila Beach, Hearst Castle, Solvang, Santa Barbara Pier, Waller Park in Santa Maria, among others. I would also take her to my favorite seafood, plant based and international restaurants in Santa Barbara, Pismo and San Luis Obispo. As someone who enjoys dancing, I would take her downtown Santa Barbara and possibly San Luis Obispo for some dancing. I might also take her wine tasting in Solvang or Santa Ynez. For dessert I might take her to Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Besides my life partner who has been there every step of the way since my days in high school, I can’t say that there was one person that supported me to get to this point. I am grateful to my spouse who has always believed in me, supported me and was never threatened by my success.
Along the way, I have had a number of mentors, teachers and guides. Starting with a HS Social Worker who inspired me to be like her, Mr. Benas, a HS teacher who helped me decide to study Psychology and teachers who believed in me and saw my talents.
As an MSW student at University of Michigan, I had a number of mentors both at school and in my practicum who believed in me including Dr. Debbie Gioia, and Dr. Carol Burrell-Jackson and Efrion Smith at P.O.W.E.R. INC.
During my days at the county and while working on my LCSW I had the support of my Program Manager Nancy Gottlieb and my clinical supervisors Lennie Kwok and Ken Nichols. I learned a great deal from each of them and became a better clinician due to their knowledge and expertise.
As a professional, I have had the privilege of working with trainers and mentors like Roy Kiessling, Ali Hall and Steven Berg-Smith who have been my teachers and mentors in my journey of becoming an EMDR and a Motivational Interviewing Trainer.
I am grateful to have had people along the way who have believed in me, supported me and picked me up when I was experiencing hardships and dealing with challenges both at home and at work.

Website: https://www.empowertct.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empower_tct/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larisa-t-861a0914/

Facebook: Larisa Traga

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@empowertct9288

Image Credits
My assistant sent you some pictures that you can use of me in action.

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