Working with Dr. Stacey Solakian
Feel free to call me Stacey, Dr. Stacey, Dr. Solakian, whatever is most comfortable for you. You have found me, and I am here to help you. My typical client is a superwoman. She can do all things and she takes care of everyone in her life. She rarely (if ever) asks for help, but is the “go-to” person when others need help. She is smart, hardworking, and exceptional. She is also exhausted, sad and lonely. She feels lost, broken and increasingly resentful of those she loves, which makes her feel guilty. Sometimes she has thoughts of escaping her life. Sometimes those thoughts are dark which leads to feelings of fear and shame.
If you share any of these feelings or experiences, you don’t have to suffer anymore. I can help.
I am a licensed psychologist who has clocked thousands of clinical hours at hospitals, community clinics and private practice. I have also trained, supervised and mentored other therapists for years. More importantly, I am a former superwoman. I retired my cape in favor of peace, joy and fulfillment. In doing so, I am now even more available to do the work that I love, which is helping women reach their goals and fulfill their dreams.
You don’t have to figure it out alone. We will figure it out together.
I want to help you find yourself. I want to help you love yourself. I want to help you walk through your pain-past and present. I want you to feel free, peaceful, confident and fulfilled.
People describe me as warm, down to earth and a wise professional. My goal in the first session is that you to feel comfortable, understood and assured that I can help you. I want you to leave thinking ‘she gets it.’ Together we will identify what you want, establish a plan to get it and work together to achieve it.
Education and clinical background: I received my doctorate in Counseling Psychology from UW-Milwaukee. Throughout my clinical programs, I received extensive training in trauma and substance abuse treatment working in inpatient and outpatient settings. I worked in different states with a variety of people. Being a military wife who also worked for years in the VA system, I have a special understanding of the military experience. When we retired from the military, our family moved to Minnesota and I worked at a safety-net hospital for nine years. During my nine-year tenure in the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, I had the privilege of working with patients who had a wide range of mental disorders which included severe depression with suicidal ideation, psychotic disorders, complex trauma and panic disorders. Two years ago, I launched SOLA private practice to focus on helping high achieving women reclaim their lives as I reclaimed my own. Now that I am in private practice, I bring all those experiences and skills into every session.
Are you ready to feel free?
I can help you get there.
What to Expect.
Step One:
Reach out to schedule a phone consultation. Complete the contact form and I reply within 24 hours.
Step Two:
Let’s talk. During your phone consultation we will briefly discuss what brought you to therapy. You do not have to give details; I just need a general idea and will ask questions to guide the conversation. I will answer any questions including those you might have about payment options. While SOLA does not accept insurance directly, we partner with the company Thrizer who can help you use OUT OF NETWORK Benefits to receive reimbursement. I am also an EAP provider for Lyra Health and we can see if your company has that benefit during your consultation call.
Step Three:
Schedule an initial appointment. This can be done during the phone consultation or at any time after. I offer in person appointments in St. Louis Park, Minnesota most weekends and video appointments during the week. During our consultation, I will provide all my direct contact information to make it easy for you to call, text or email to schedule an appointment.
Step Four:
Complete initial session paperwork before your first session. Once you schedule an appointment, I will send you an email that contains initial session paperwork. This includes information about client rights, limits of privacy and details of the therapy agreement. The email will also have the office address and the video link. If you are in Minnesota, you have the option of mixing in person or video visits. I am also licensed to provide Telehealth in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Step Five:
We meet each other. During this initial session, my goal is that you leave feeling hopeful, understood and assured that I can help you.
It is okay to have ambivalence about moving forward at any stage. You are not used to asking for help. Doing new things can be scary. Talking about hidden parts of yourself can be scary. Change can be scary. I encourage you to take that first step.