Roxane Thorstad, PsyD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Supervisor, Co-founder, and Clinical Director
"Be dedicated to change the way in which people see mental illness at all levels of society. If not for yourself, advocate for those who are struggling in silence.” — G. Kent
Having been in the mental health field since 1996, I often reflect on the beauty of working alongside therapists I love and standing in awe of the courage of clients every day. Mental health isn’t always like that. It is often fraught with struggle, challenge, confusion, and relational disruption - both in agencies and in personal relationships. When Terry and I set out years ago to create a low ego, low competition, and highly relational team, I don’t think either of us realized how challenging that would be.
In many ways, creating a healthy team is like creating a healthy family. It requires constant work on connection and communication. But, this is where the hard work pays off. Despite the struggle and the pain, healthy connection is possible - with ourselves, with others, and in teams! This passion drives me to continue my work with Journeys and clients for as long as I am able.
One of my favorite things to share off my resume is that I was a lieutenant in the United States Navy as a psychologist for four years after graduate school. It’s not because it sounds impressive - although I’m sure some people might look at it like that - it’s because it’s so strange for me. Most people who truly know me laugh that I was an officer in the Navy and can’t even picture it. What I love the most about that experience in my life is that it made me more resilient, more aware, and even more emotionally attuned to myself and others.
My other favorite thing to share is something that is never on anyone’s resume - all good therapists have to do their own work. You never see on a resume how many hours therapists have spent in their own therapy, their own self-reflection, or their own personal work. But, for me, that’s an authentic connecting point. Therapists who know their own stories and have been able to work through both the pain and beauty in their lives make for better listeners! I believe we are all capable of working through the challenging, painful, and harmful moments of our past in order to connect and communicate in healthier ways with the people we have around us now.
Outside of continued clinical care with clients, my primary role at Journeys is to continue developing a highly trained, compassionate team of therapists who can provide excellent care. I work closely with our client coordinator to make sure we can refer you to someone on the team who would be a good fit for you. And, if we don’t have someone that fits your needs, we keep an updated list of referrals in the community.