Meet Allison Carter | Psychotherapist and Group Practice Owner

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

Hi Allison, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
I orient my practice around the idea of treating others with curiosity, dignity and respect. I think the most powerful thing we can do is to really see and appreciate the person we’re with in *all* their complexity.

I also feel like forces in our current world, including social media algorithms and an increasingly polarized political arena, reinforce a lack the patience and spaciousness for people. It is within this context that human rights violations become increasingly frequent.

So on a personal level, a professional level and a global level, I am extremely concerned with the themes of curiosity, dignity and respect.

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 run a therapy practice where we help adults and teens, primarily with eating disorders, complex trauma, anxiety and relationship concerns. I first launched my individual therapy practice in 2017, after getting licensed and gaining tons of invaluable experience treating eating disorders in higher levels of care. I hired my first associate in 2022, and we have grown from there. We are still a young business, and I’m definitely learning on the job. But I enjoy learning about running a business as I also continue to deepen my knowledge of psychotherapy and clinical supervision.

I’d say the thing that sets us apart is our strong sense of compassion and our willingness to really get in there with our clients. While we have a few specializations, we see and treat our clients as complicated individuals instead of boiling people down to a diagnosis and treatment plan. I and the rest of my team really love people, and we develop strong, caring relationships with our clients. We love to laugh and think, but we are also able to facilitate a deep, respectful holding space for people’s difficult memories and emotions. Also, we all love to geek out on the art and science of psychotherapy, and have pursued a lot of post-graduate training that allows us to offer nuanced support to people who are in a lot of pain.

I’m still learning about the ins and outs of running a small business, and I rely heavily on my colleagues and friends who are small business owners to help me think through the more structural concerns. Learning how to market our practice in a landscape that is pretty saturated with larger companies who have epic amounts of capital behind them has been particularly challenging. But the situation has forced us to get scrappy and creative, and to rely more on cultivating meaningful relationships than anything else.

Honestly, I really love that both psychotherapy and being a small business owner require constant learning and the flexibility to flow with changes that are outside of our control. I wouldn’t want to do anything else, even on the hard days!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Yes! First and foremost, we would probably get coffee and croissants. Proof, the Thin Air stand at the Atwater Village Farmer’s Market, Gjusta… watch out because we’re coming for you. Once we’re a little bit overcaffeinated, we’d hike up to the helicopter landing pad in Griffith Park or explore Angeles National Forest. From there, many tacos would be consumed, including several from Homestate and Villa’s Tacos in Highland Park. Are they staying for a while? Because if so, we’d camp in Joshua Tree and catch a show at Pappy and Harriett’s. We’d hit up the North Figueroa Bookshop and Skylight, see a show at REDCAT, check out the installation at the Geffen, walk around the reservoir, meet friends at LA State Historic Park … I’d probably make them stop at Plant Material on the way home because I killed my bees bliss sage and now I need another. Are they sold on LA yet? Are they moving here? I hope so.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Ack, so many people! But to keep it simple, let’s do one shoutout to my husband and one to my teachers.

My husband has cheered me on every time I go after something new. Sometimes I’ll be freaking out over some minor tweak in my business and he kind of stares at me with a patient and slightly blank expression until I’m done, and then will say something along the lines of, “what are you talking about? You’re doing great.” So I appreciate that.

I also want to shout out to the trainers I’ve practiced under. I have been taught by some of the most kindhearted psychotherapists who have taught me to slow down, cultivate my understanding of my clients, find my voice, and develop my art as a psychotherapist.

Website: https://www.carterpsychotherapycollective.com

Instagram: @carterpsychotherapycollective

Image Credits
Julien Schwab
Lianna Kirakosyan