181. Navigating Trauma and Finding Healing: Insights from a Psychologist

About the Guest:

Natalie Pickering is a licensed psychologist with expertise in trauma and clinical work. With a Ph.D. in psychology, Natalie has traversed diverse professional paths including her initial career as a high school language arts teacher, serving as a counselor in Nigeria, acquiring her master's in counseling, and eventually a psychologist trained in the Enneagram and nutritional psychology. She operates her business, High Places Coaching and Consulting, where she employs the Enneagram among other tools to help individuals and teams reach their full potential.

Episode Summary:

In this engaging episode of the podcast, host Colin Johnson sits down with Natalie Pickering, a skilled psychologist whose passion lies in guiding people toward their summit of personal growth. Natalie shares her journey from a farm girl to an airforce academy attendee, a high school teacher, and finally, into the field of psychology, which has become her calling.

Illuminating the conversation with her personal story, Natalie touches on how she found her path in the field of psychology, highlighting the transformative power of the Enneagram in understanding one's motivations and behaviors. This tool, she says, is instrumental in aiding personal development and steering individuals towards recognizing and overcoming challenges. The discussion also dives into the differences between various mental health practices, the nuances of the Enneagram, and Natalie's approach to intensive therapy sessions which aim to impact community health one individual at a time.

Key Takeaways:

• Natalie Pickering is an experienced psychologist with a deep understanding of trauma, who now runs High Places Coaching and Consulting.
• She emphasizes the importance of understanding one's motivations through tools like the Enneagram in personal and professional development.
• Natalie describes the educational path to becoming a psychologist and the interdisciplinary nature of her work.
• Hosting workshops and providing team coaching are some of the services offered by Natalie's practice.
• She advises young people and those considering a career in psychology to stay open to new experiences and to take time exploring different fields.

Notable Quotes:

• "So very big circuit of a route… So we lived in Nigeria for a few years, working for a faith-based not-for-profit. I was in a little over my head, so needed more training, came to Louisville, got my PhD."
• "We always have all nine [Enneagram types], but we're driving from one."
• "I honor your story… I'm bearing witness to the honoring of how this beautiful person got here."
• "Stay open. If you can take a variety of things, do that."

Resources:

• High Places Coaching and Consulting: yourhighestplaces.com
• Mentioned Enneagram assessment websites: WEPSS and the Integrative Enneagram (integrative9.com)
• Book: "Hinds' Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard

Encourage your personal growth by delving into the full episode for in-depth conversations and profound insights on life and career development. Stay tuned for more enriching episodes from this series that promise to enlighten and inspire.