Introducing Linda!
One lovely face you’ll see regularly at Dandle is our sweet friend Linda. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, she feels the weight of the world daily. One important way she cares for herself is getting regular spa services, alternating between massages and facials. We were honored to talk with and learn from her! Watch her interview on youtube or keep reading!
Give us a little insight on your story.
I grew up here [in Chattanooga] and then left for about 20 years, first moving to Atlanta for 15 years, then Phoenix for 5. I wanted a big city with more opportunities, and I have a friend who lived in Atlanta. I didn’t love Chattanooga; it was very polluted, made up mostly of warehouses. There weren’t many opportunities and not a lot of reasons to be here. Of course, this was in the 70s. I came back to take care of my parents while my mom was going through breast cancer. Then, my dad passed away soon after that. And... I stayed!
Where did life take you professionally, and what did it teach you?
I've been in the mental health field for over 40 years. It’s pretty much all I've ever done. I started in case management and substance abuse, then moved on to work with veterans, jails, and crisis services. I thought private practice would be my retirement plan! I only work 3 days a week, but I keep getting opportunities to volunteer and do things I care about. I’m a lot busier than I thought I’d be.
I learned what not to do; if I’m not taking care of myself, then I don’t have anything to offer. It took a while, but I finally turned a corner on self-care and mindfulness. I need some too!
We know a massage or a facial won’t fix all of your problems, but how does this kind of self-care support your mental health?
It’s really easy to get tense without noticing what's happening in your body. It can really creep up on you. I have mindfulness practices that I do on my own, but being cared for by someone else is an incredibly powerful thing. I had gotten facials and massages years ago off and on. I had a dry spell, but then I found Dandle and got a head spa with Makaila. When I saw how I felt after, I thought, “I need this.” I started getting facials with Makaila, and, because of a schedule change, switched to seeing Shannon. Both are lovely. This has been such a big benefit to me; I am so grateful this place exists.
What is one thing you want to share with anyone reading?
The first things people do when they’re stressed or depressed are the things that make it worse: isolating, not tending to their body, and not tending to their mind. It is a lot more important now than ever to do things that support you. Those things are different for each person. I would encourage anyone to, first of all, come to Dandle, because it’s pretty wonderful, but also to find whatever works for them, focus a lot on how they're doing, and reach out to their communities. Stay connected.
To Our Dear Friend, Linda
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, kind words, and joyful presence with us. We are so honored to know you and have you as a client. We're grateful you exist, too!