Meet Janie Glassmith | Psychotherapist & Owner of Spaces Therapy

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

Hi Janie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I originally started my practice because I found that, unlike most therapists, I really enjoyed the business side of therapy and felt pretty sure that I could run a business. The practice grew into being a group practice mainly because as I got deeper into the business side of therapy I was pretty sure that I could run a different kind of practice from the ones my peers and I had worked in. Therapist burnout rates are unfortunately high (especially therapists that work in group practices) and that means that many people aren’t able to get the help that they need because their therapist is burned out or because it’s so difficult to find a therapist with openings. So, Spaces is a place that we really focus on sustainability for our therapists. I’ve become passionate about running a business that not only serves our community and offers quality therapy but also (and maybe even especially) takes care of the therapists that work there. It’s the only way that we’ll be around still offering quality therapy 10 years from now is if we are in the business of caring for therapists now.

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?

Spaces Therapy is a team of highly relational and insightful therapists that work with humans in all areas of life: childhood to later adulthood, partnered, single or separating, and every emotional space in-between. It’s important to us what when you see a Spaces therapist, you’ll feel their personality. Spaces therapist are warm and funny, they won’t just sit across from you and listen until time is up. They might call you out or joke with you and above all, they are nurturing and want to ensure each person feels supported in their journey of emotional healing and growth. Every Spaces therapist has been in their own therapy and is aware of their own “stuff” and that makes a huge difference in how we take on clients and how we support each other as a team.

A big part of how Spaces got to where we are today is because of connecting with other therapists. I always tell friends and family that if they’re looking for a therapy referral to either ask their friends that have a good experience with their therapist or ask their therapist friends. It’s become a volunteer side gig of mine, to find therapist for all of my friends (and I mean all my friends). And from what I hear I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I really love networking and collaborating with other therapists, and it’s meant that I’ve built a community of people that I really trust and that trust me and my team. Honestly from that perspective growing the business has been easy because it’s really just been spending time with people that I like and then working with clients that I like. I feel very strongly about the positive impact that therapy can make in an individuals life, so I am always happy to talk with people who practice in different ways and learn new techniques. Sometimes the business or financial side of things can be hard because it’s not something that I’m trained in but I’m learning all the time and have loved having the opportunity to learn and expand my skill set. The biggest thing that I’ve learned about business is that authenticity and trustworthiness are the most important qualities for really any business, but especially a therapy practice.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve lived in North East LA for 12 years now so while I know there are great spots on the west side, my heart resides in NELA. So here goes: Day one: grab a coffee from Kindness & Mischief in HLP (the owner Mo grew up in Eagle Rock and always has amazing collaborations with local small businesses) and then hike Debs Park (then maybe pop by Spaces Therapy for a Mom World group or a little emotional healing 😊)
Day Two: pick up burritos from LA Tacos & Kebabs on Eagle Rock Blvd (one of the best kept secrets of NELA) and head to either Elysian or Lacy park for a picnic (depending on if you’re feeling city or suburb vibes)
Day Three: start the day with a workout at Made By Pilates or (if Wednesday or Saturday) Pony Sweat, get ready, then head to Homestate for a casual dinner (I married a Texan so we could eat Homestate every single day) and end the night with dancing at Checker Hall (Jesse Carmichael who was formerly in LA-based band Wildcat!Wildcat! does all their DJ bookings and he knows exactly what the 30- and 40- somethings are looking for in a night out)
Day Four: grab a drink at Bar Flores and walk to Bacetti for the best gnocchi you’ve had in your life!
Day Five: I guess we should do ONE day on the west side. You can never miss with the Getty (they currently have a Cy Twombly exhibit!) and a little beach time. Especially with a stop at Bruce’s Beach for amazing views and even more amazing reparations.
And then honestly if i’d had that many days of being out on the town i’d need 2 full days at home just to recover (maybe with takeout breakfast from Lemon Poppy or Delias and dinner from Joy or La Fiesta Grande)! So that’s a week of LA faves with a NELA therapist!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t be a business owner if I didn’t have the all-encompassing support of my husband. And my community of therapists are truly the wind beneath my wings: my DREAM team at Spaces, my Nurture Collective consultation group (Kelli Penner, Emily Schnitger, Eunice Lee, and Christina Leahy), the NELA group practices that meet and share and dream with me, my favorite collaborator Sarah Kim of By Way of Us, and my therapist or therapeutic friends that have supported me along the way.

Website: www.spacestherapyla.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/spaces.therapy

Image Credits
all of the photos of the office were taken by Honjiyo Studios (who is also now one of our therapists!) https://www.honjiyo.com