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

Hi Edward, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had always worked for myself on the side. When I was younger, both in college and between “regular” jobs, I did repair work to make extra money. I know how to fix cars, major appliances, can do some plumbing, electrical, and carpentry.

But I never thought about working for myself full-time as a therapist until I hit my early 50s and realized that I was virtually unemployable. I was interviewing with people who were half my age who had no interest in hiring their father. A friend encouraged me to go to work for myself and helped me with the basics in terms of getting on insurance company lists. Another friend offered me the use of her office in West Hollywood. Things just all fell into place as they usually do when God is running the show.

That was about 20 years ago, and I am so glad that I did the plunge into self-employment, and now realize all the ways that I was holding myself back before the universe shoved me into being my own boss. The hardest part was owning my worth. Not self-esteem, but putting a monetary amount on my services. I’ve been very blessed and gifted, and because I told myself that I didn’t really do anything for those gifts I believed that they were to be shared freely.

The problem is I still have to pay bills, and I gradually made peace with that. I do think it’s a big issue for a lot of entrepreneurs, we’re always afraid that people won’t want our services or products if we charge money for them.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Edward Garren is a California licensed psychotherapist, offering counseling services to individuals, couples and families.

“The purpose of therapy is to remove blocks to truth; to help you abandon any patterns of belief that no longer serve you in a productive way; to implement self-forgiveness.

Therapy can alleviate suffering and open the door to peace of mind. It can assist in separating illusion from reality and even reality from truth.

Finally, it can help you to learn to make your decisions from internal prompts because you have created an internal locus of control.”

From “A Course in Miracles”

Mr. Garren has worked in the profession for many years and has a broad range of experiences and “styles” of doing therapy. He has particular expertise working with people who are dealing with depression, anxiety, recovering from addiction or alcoholism, desiring to reduce or eliminate use of prescribed psychotropic medications* (*NOTE: any change in one’s medication should always be done under the guidance and supervision of the prescribing or other physician).

Ed has experience providing Counseling, Psychotherapy, Coaching, Career Development and related services to: Individuals Couples Families GLBTQ Community Members Persons living with HIV Persons and Families of mixed heritages Adult Survivors to Childhood Trauma Persons with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Military and Law Enforcement personnel.

His office is conveniently located within walking distance of Vermont Avenue and Slauson, in South Los Angeles. This location is within fifteen minutes of the USC main campus, and twenty to thirty minutes from Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, View Park, West Adams, etc. It is within forty-five minutes of Hollywood, West Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, Los Feliz, Silverlake, Echo Park, Chinatown, East Los Angeles, South Central, South Los Angeles, Inglewood, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey.

You may contact Mr. Garren via telephone, (213) 596-9674 , or by eMail EdwardGarrenMFT@gmail.com
Fax # is (213) 596-9082

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.
When I have friends come to visit the first time, I try to take them to the Korean Friendship Bell in Angels Gate Park at the very south end of San pedro, on Gaffey Street. Afterwords we go down to the San Pedro Fish market and have a nice meal watching the ships go in and out of the harbor channel. After that there are so many places to go and visit. I love showing them Crenshaw Boulevard, San Vicente Boulevard out to West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, of course there are the Baldwin Hills, as well as the Hollywood hills.

If we’re going to go hiking there is the Baldwin Hills overlook, if it’s the water I can go west on Slauson to Marina Del Rey, or Venice Beach. The beautiful Union Station between Chinatown and Downtown LA is always a place to stop. I love the Arroyo Parkway with it’s four tunnels going out towards Pasadena, Griffith Park, the observatory, Hollywood Boulevard, there is just so much to see in Los Angeles.

The USC campus and the adjoining museum complex in Exposition Park is truly a treasure. The African-American Museum, the Museum of Science, space shuttle, the Coliseum, and the soccer stadium are just a few of the treasures that the city of Los Angeles containers.

I also love to take them to the beautiful Northgate market on the corner of Slauson and Central, and remind them that one of the most beautiful grocery store chains in the region is all done by immigrants from Mexico and have a great pride in everything that they do.

The full name of our city, translated from Spanish, “the people of our Lady, queen of the angels.”

It is the people of Los Angeles with our diversity and enthusiasm that make our city such a lively and vibrant place to live.

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?
So many people along my journey. Friends and acquaintances who encouraged me to seek and fulfill my higher self, specific colleagues who encourage me to grow professionally. Other friends who just encouraged me to celebrate being me.

Folks who came before me who sought and fight for racial and social justice. These would include Martin Luther King Junior, Malcolm Max, Harvey Milk, Harry Hay, Rosa parks, Maya Angelou, Zora Neale Hurston, my homegirl from Florida. Major Walker, Phoebe Quaterman, Diane Miller,.

And I am grateful to God that I was born into the Episcopal Church. The church is always been my best family. Any of my closest friends, people who shape of my life, I met at an Episcopal church. Church is not God but it is community, and it is specifically a community of like-minded believers. Some of the folks I met there are significant in my life are, Reverend Matthew and Grace Ahn, Hazel Armbrister,, The Very Reverand John Fuller Mangrum, Malcolm Boyd, Reverend Doctor Kate Cress, Reverend Jonathan Feuss,

Website: www.EdwardGarrenMFT.com

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