Meet Whitney Goodman | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

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

Hi Whitney, what principle do you value most?
Authenticity. So many of us have been told we shouldn’t feel X or that we need to hide certain parts of ourselves. If we want to make mental health stigma a thing of the past, we need to be more open about our highs and our lows. We need to embrace what it means to be fully human. As a therapist, I really reject the idea that a therapist should be a blank slate and believe that authenticity and emotional expression are the keys to living a full life. I allow my clients and followers on social media to see my successes, humanity, and struggles and strive for authenticity in everything I do.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I own The Collaborative, a co-working space for wellness professionals and therapists. When I decided to go into private practice, I noticed there was zero support. I found a lot of online resources but there was no community or cohesiveness. I really wanted to combine the best parts of solo private practice with working in a group practice or clinic environment. We provide wellness professionals with everything they need to grow a thriving practice, all under one roof. The Collaborative offers office space, community, training opportunities, marketing, and so much more. COVID-19 definitely flipped our industry on its head. Suddenly people were doing therapy from home and our office has been empty throughout much of the pandemic. This definitely wasn’t easy and we’ve had to adapt. I’m proud of how resilient our community has been and how they’ve shown up every day to support the clients that need them most. Owning a business has taught me that you just have to do it. There’s no other way to learn if something is going to succeed or fail. The ability to handle setbacks and failure is the number one quality business owners need.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love eating at fun, cool restaurants and spending time outdoors. When I plan a trip, it usually revolves around that. Some of my favorite places to eat in Miami are KYU, Perricone’s, NaiYara, and Andiamo. I like going to Crandon, kayaking in Sunset Harbor, and taking workout classes at Sweat 440.

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?
Everything in life is a team effort and we are all a culmination of the experiences and people we’ve interacted with. My husband, mom, and sister have all been huge influences in my life and are my biggest supporters. I’m also inspired regularly by my clients, peers, and other people I’ve connected with on social media!

Website: theccc.miami
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sitwithwhit/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sitwithwhit
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sitwithwhitney