 Women in Business: Sandra Hill, Mental Health Therapist
Helping Others Find
Health and Happiness
Delving into one's intimate intricacies, those inner details that
we seldom, if ever, share with another individual, is delicate business.
The road to better mental health is one fraught with many perils
that many of us will, more often than not, avoid at all costs. But
times occasionally arise in our lives where we need a little help
and that's where the real journey begins --therapy. For many, finding a mental
health therapist to assist on this journey can be as trying and peril-ridden
as the journey itself.
However, gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgendered individuals have a ray of light at the end of that
proverbial tunnel in the form of Sandra Hill, a mental health therapist
in Tulsa, OK. OutLook takes an in-depth look at the private
practice of Ms. Hill, a mental health therapist in the area since
1992. She granted us an exclusive look into her practice, its success,
and the intricacies of psychotherapy.
What drew you into the field of
psychotherapy?
"Since a very young
child, I have had an unending desire to understand the "whys" of
life. The response "just because..." was never satisfactory.
As I matured, I began to focus more specifically and to question
the intricacies and challenges that human behavior presented. I desired
knowledge and insight into the differences as well as the commonalities
between people. Advanced study in human behavior and psychology became
the obvious route for my quest for knowledge.
Probably one of the greatest challenges
as a therapist has been that the more I learn, the greater my awareness
of how much more there is to learn. This allows for continual growth
and awareness both professionally as well as personally.
I have one
goal for my clients --to assist them in becoming the very best,
the healthiest person that they can possibly be. I firmly believe
that each of us as individuals hold the answers to our own successes
as well as failures. I assist in this journey by helping clients
unlock the secrets that are within themselves. Guiding clients
to find their own answers gives me a special sense of accomplishment,
but more importantly allows clients to progress in their journey
toward wholeness."
How successful has the venture
been so far?
"This depends to a
great deal on how one measures success. If I was to measure success
monetarily, I would have to say I've not been successful; in fact
others might say I'm a failure. But I am aware that money is not
the only, nor the most significant measure of success. Being happy
in one's profession, knowing that one is utilizing their God-given
talents to benefit others, being allowed and trusted to share with
another in a most intimate, caring way and having the variety that
private practice allows are all measures of my success."
 What
kind of response from the gay/lesbian community have you had
so far?
"I've been fortunate to have had a very stable, although
not exclusive, gay and lesbian client base. The gay and lesbian community
has been supportive and responsible as evidenced by client-based
referrals and referrals from several gay and lesbian affiliated organizations;
not only in the Tulsa area, but statewide. In fact, I have had several
clients over the years from other surrounding states."
From the straight community?
"I believe the support
from the straight community to be directly related to the amount
of advertising expended to reach this part of the community. As advertising
is expensive, and due to my desire to keep my rates affordable and
services available to a greater number of individuals, I have not
expended a great amount of money on an advertising budget.
Although I
do get referrals from other professionals in the community, they
are primarily from other practitioners not confident of their skills
and/or abilities dealing with gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered
(GLBT) issues. I commend these professionals for recognizing
when their feelings, judgments, lack of knowledge, etc. might
interfere with their ability to assist the client."
Is there a support system out
there with other therapists?
"Due to my choice
to provide affirmative, non-judgmental services focused on the needs
of the gay/lesbian/bisexual and transgendered community, I do at
times feel somewhat isolated from other therapists. However, I recognize
this is in part a consequence of having a non-traditional focus in
a highly-energized "traditionally religious" part of the
country, which may cause conflict for many professionals.
In the past,
I have been very visible and active in the GLBT community. I believe
my choice to be "out" may
create uneasiness among other therapists. But I do not feel I could
be an adequate role model if I am not true to myself. I would be
doing a great injustice to my clients, as well as to myself, if
I were to hide an important part of what makes me special. I believe
the need for healthy role models in our community is very important,
even at the risk of loss of support from other therapists. I am
proud of being a gay woman, I am proud of who I am, I am proud
that I am visible and not ashamed. By living my life being an out
lesbian, I hope to be a positive, healthy
example to instill some sense of pride in my clients.
Do you feel being out has held
you back professionally?
"Yes, I do believe
that I have not been considered for professional positions due to
the specialized focus of my practice. When discrimination occurs
it is very rarely blatant. One is therefore left to wonder. As George
Weinberg wrote: ". . . the machinery of discrimination
against lesbians has been able to grind quietly. By granting numerous
social privileges and responsibilities to women only if they married,
societies have uniformly punished lesbians without even having to
acknowledge they existed." This is in part one reason why I
will remain visible irregardless of discrimination and not be ashamed
of who I am. It is a promise I have made to myself and my clients."
Do you tell clients about your
orientation?
"Not necessarily.
I have to ask myself, would a heterosexual therapist have the need
to share their sexual preference? Probably not, so why would I? If
I sense that sharing a particular part of my life would be of benefit
to the person, then I would consider revealing that part of my life.
A lot depends on the purpose and benefit that would be gained by
the client by a particular disclosure. Please understand, I don't
make efforts to hide this part of my life; I just don't illuminate
it unless it is appropriate or beneficial. I don't consider myself
to be a gay therapist; I consider myself to be a therapist who happens
to be gay."
Do you have parents
who bring kids in to "fix" their homosexuality?
"Of course. This scenario
does occur. I am very clear to the parents, as well as the young
person, that I do not try to indoctrinate, change, educate toward
or away from a particular orientation. My goal is to assist that
person— through exploration of their feelings, thoughts, desires—toward
identification of what is appropriate for them, whether that be gay,
straight, bisexual, transgendered, etc. Oftentimes, a young person
may be confused or just exploring their sexuality. Other times, the
parent just needs reassurance and education regarding human sexuality
and explorative learning."
What is your background?
"I earned a Bachelors
of Arts in Psychology with emphasis in Biology from St. Mary College
in 1981, then completed my Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology
in 1991 from Northeastern State University. My credentials, the boring
acronym part [laughter] is as follows: I am a LPC (licensed professional
counselor), a NCC (national certified counselor), and a Ct. Hypt.
(a certified hypnotherapist). Hypnosis has
become a valuable adjunct to traditional therapy for many clients
by allowing for improvement and advancement of their therapy in a
variety of areas: pain management, stress management, smoking cessation,
weight loss, memory work, etc."
What drew you to private practice?
"One of my goals throughout
graduate school was to not be constricted by
the confines of agency work, as I found so many of my colleagues
were. I like the freedom of owning my own business; the ability to
work with highly-motivated clients, the options of being creative
in my therapeutic interventions, and the amazing challenges that
each day of private practice provides. Within the confines of an
agency, one is not able to experience these benefits.
What words of advice do you have
for other lesbian-owned businesses?
"My advice would be
to be aware of the various forms of discrimination, blatant as well
as subtle, and be prepared for the consequences of being identified
as a lesbian-owned business, positive as well as negative. Do your
homework. Listen and learn from others. Build a strong foundation/base
of which your successes can firmly stand upon. Don't let failures
set you back; learn from them. Don't underestimate the benefits of
a kind word, good service, and going the extra mile. Expect criticism,
relish in praise. Realize that without deviation from the norm, progress
is not possible. For change to occur, those of us who are able to
take risks, must take those risks and be prepared for the results.
Follow your heart . . . "
Sandra Hill's psychotherapy practice
is located at 2865 East Skelly Drive, Suite 215, Tulsa, OK 74105.
Phone is (918) 745-1111 and hours are by appointment only.
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