Inspiring Conversations with Kaci Guilford of Kaci Guilford Counseling, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaci Guilford.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My career as a counselor began in my early twenties, when I myself had gone through some pretty heavy rough patches after college. After college graduation, I didn’t really know what to do with myself and felt very untethered. I moved home and struggled really heavily with an eating disorder and substance abuse, trying to find my footing and feeling super lost. As I began to get my feet back underneath me, I was really drawn to my counseling team, and became really intrigued by the fact that they got to make a career of just being present and real with people, meeting them right where they were and helping put them back together. I enrolled in graduate school as soon as I was able, and haven’t looked back! 16+ years later, I am still working as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and am also a Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). I also teach and supervise as an adjunct faculty in a local graduate counseling program. I love my job, which sounds cliche, but it’s true: it’s allowed me to give back what was given to me, it’s provided opportunities for professional and personal flexibility, and (most days!) it doesn’t feel like a job!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As an adjunct faculty, I teach a few classes for new counselors. I always tell my students that the best training they can invest in, outside of their counseling degree, is a business class. Not one counseling program I know of offers a small business class, but every counselor that decides to open a private or group practice after graduation will be, in fact, running a small business. My biggest hurdles in my career have been learning how to run a business- trying to understand small business taxes, nuanced city and local requirements, and just basic stuff like running payroll for a business where you are both the owner and the employee. In the same vein, learning how to market and grow a counseling business has also been a challenge: marketing yourself as a counselor does not really work the same way most businesses do, since it is so personal and niched. I think my biggest hurdles have been learning how to market and run a business, and to not take bumps along the way as personal setbacks. It’s been a beautiful growth edge to learn how to just keep tackling the hard stuff, and so rewarding to watch it all come together into something I can be proud of.

On a more personal note, I have encountered many health issues in the last few years, and I would also say that these have been a unique challenge for myself, both personally and professionally. Learning my own physical limitations, how to share appropriate context with my clients, and generally just learning how to accept my own humanity has been really hard. It’s not lost on me that much of counseling is helping people accept their own selves and learn how to love who they are, when I, myself, am learning the same lesson in tandem!

We’ve been impressed with Kaci Guilford Counseling, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is something I am very proud of. I have been successfully running a private practice for 16 years, and have been able to truly contribute to my family with my business. Kaci Guilford Counseling is a private practice that provides mental health services to the greater Denver metro area. I work with individual and couple clients (15+ years old) , offering both in person and virtual appointments, In the past, I have specialized in women’s issues and body image, as well as trauma therapy. Recently, I have launched 2 new programs for incoming clients: one I call the Breakthrough Series, which is designed to appeal to potential clients who are not ready to commit to traditional, ongoing “therapy” but are still looking to kickstart a change. This program is curated as four, 50-minute sessions to help you clarify personal values, identify clear and achievable next steps, and build a practical toolbox you can use right away. I work to prepare clients to leave the program feeling more grounded, confident, and focused, with a renewed sense of direction and the skills to move forward with intention. And, if after the program, a client wants to continue their work, we can!

The second program I’ve created is near and dear to my heart: the Athlete Alignment Series. As a mom of two competitive athletes, I have been through the ringer of what feels like “sports drama”: the tryouts, the high highs, the low lows, the parent politics, all of it. It’s been draining and I have watched my family, and my kids specifically, struggle to understand what they want in their athletic season, and how to align that with what their parents/family wants. This program is designed to be short and sweet: three, 50 minute sessions to create alignment and shared vision in an athletes family. The first session, I meet with the athlete, the second I will meet with the parent(s), and the third session, we all come together to discuss what values each person holds and create a plan and shared vision of how to carry that out over the student athlete’s season. This program is ideal before tryouts or season begins, but is also a wonderful, mid-season check point for athletes and families.

In addition to hosting this unique, niche programs for clients, I bring extensive experience and training in different counseling techniques that support my clients needs. Because I am also ongoing in teaching and supervising student counselors, my knowledge is consistently fresh and relevant. I would say besides the above credentials and services, what sets me apart is the humanity I bring to my work. I do not believe in being a cookie-cutter, “how does this make you feel” therapist, but strive to be authentic, direct and kind with each one of my clients. Because I have done (and continue to do!) the hard work of loving and accepting myself, I now what I am asking my clients to do, and how hard that can be. I believe I meet them where they are with compassion, humanity and humor.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
As I just sort of referenced, I think the quality that brings me the most success and helps me feel like I am really thriving, is being real. I truly value when the people around me bring their real selves, and can be authentic with the messy parts of being human; I strive to bring that same authenticity to my professional work and in my personal interactions each day. I don’t love being messy- it’s so uncomfy and my good friends have all heard me ask why I can’t just turn into a robot with no messy edges sometimes- but I consistently come back to the value of being real, trying hard and embracing the journey that is being a human.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kaciguilford.com

Image Credits
Erin Cox