Get to know me! (Shara Ogilvie)

If you don’t want to read the long version, here’s a couple of bullet points:

I love being a therapist. I began as an intern in 2010, and have worked in Utah ever since. I opened my own private practice in 2014.

It's important to me to INDIVIDUALIZE client care and help them find what works for them from where THEY are at -- so that it actually makes sense to them.

My passion is working with young adults. I'm young at heart, so I tend to mix well with them. I also serve many women. They have specific issues that I often relate to as I, too, have recovered from emotional abuse, divorce and remarriage, an alcoholic father, economic hardships, and raising children with unique challenges. Sometimes I work with men, but it's usually because I have already worked with a woman or girl in their life.

If you want to learn more...

It’s important to find a counselor you can connect with. If you read my bio, you’ll get an idea if I'm your type of person!

I've lived in Utah my whole life, but I've been mistaken for being from New York on multiple occasions due to my loud voice and strong opinions, but I've been working on softening that over the years. Hopefully I'm making progress on that.

I consider myself a traditional family person because I love being a wife and a mom and believe my family is my greatest strength, next to God. That being said, I have no problem (in fact, I thoroughly enjoy) working with people who have a variety of perspectives on where traditional values fit into their lives. I'm here to help with mental health and to work from the client's unique value system.

I didn't become a therapist until my mid 30's. All of my life previous to that, I struggled with mental health on and off. Anxiety and depression were ongoing challenges. I didn't know how to say "no" or be assertive appropriately. I didn't know how to identify or listen to my feelings until I had a series of big challenges that pushed me to learn things I hadn't been willing to learn before. I think because of this, I understand and am patient with people who aren't ready to change, or who don't know where to start. I've been there! I get it!

I'm a pretty creative person. I enjoy writing, reading, daydreaming, cooking, playing the piano, making my home cozy, going on long walks, listening to podcasts, doing yoga, and getting good sleep. I've learned how to take care of myself over the years, but it hasn't come for free. There were times I didn't know the importance of taking care of myself. I wasn't raised to know my limits or to value my own needs. This is part of why I'm so devoted to teaching self awareness, self care, finding your voice, and other related topics. I've learned for myself how good it feels to be able to take up some space on this planet. And I've learned that to be in the best place to serve and lift others, I need to be standing on solid ground myself.

If there is one thing I, personally, cannot stand in my own life, it is drama. Experience has taught me that nothing is worth taking away my peace. Nobody has the right to make my life miserable. If someone makes it near impossible for me to act within my values, I generally will not spend time with that person because I really want to stay grounded in my values and I believe there are environments any of us can enter that can make us vulnerable to being our worst selves. It's another one of my life lessons---- learning that I will surround myself with people that support me in being healthy.

Something unique about me is that I come from a family with many, MANY individuals with Autism. I, myself, am a high-functioning Autistic person. I've been called "quirky" my whole life, but I take that as a complement. I love neurodiverse individuals because I genuinely "vibe" with them. And my training in psychology helps me to understand neurotypicals. I love them both!

In the end, as a therapist I am all about listening to and learning about YOU. I just hope it was helpful to hear a little about me. And I look forward to meeting you!