Welcome to my guest post series: A Day In Private Practice. Meet Sunshine Coast Counsellor & Psychotherapist, Miranda Egan.
Miranda Egan is a Sunshine Coast Counsellor and Psychotherapist and offers face to face and online therapy. She has built private practices in both the UK and Australia. Miranda is a clinical member of PACFA, is a trauma therapist at Trauma Warriors, and registered on the Trauma Support and InsideOut Eating Disorders registers. She describes Psychotherapy as a dance between science and art. Miranda’s heart-led intention is to provide trauma-informed therapy and to help professionals, the community, and individuals to recognise the importance of this type of care in the therapy space. Miranda is particularly focused on reducing the impacts of sexual assault and toxic relationships.
Miranda uses a combination of mindfulness, self-compassion and somatic guided therapy within a trauma-informed framework that seeks to help individuals find their own inner calm and live authentically and integratively.
A Day in Private Practice with Sunshine Coast Counsellor & Psychotherapist, Miranda Egan
6.30am: Wake Up & Morning Ritual
My day starts abruptly when my daughter wakes me, promptly followed by the dog jumping on the bed and my husband giving me a coffee. It has become one of my favourite rituals of the day.
8.30am: Good Morning to My Space
My practice room is connected to my home, so once the house is empty, I can prepare myself for the day ahead. I have created clearing rituals to create a separation between a busy home and a focused work life.
I make a pot of herbal tea, light a candle and say ‘good morning’ to my space to set the intention for the day. This is my anchor which puts me into work mode. I check my calendar and messages to make sure there are no surprises.
Before the first client arrives, I take a walk around my garden and allow myself 10 to 15 minutes of mindfulness, noticing changes in colour, light and smell. My garden is a special place as we have spent time and effort relandscaping it over the years. It now provides my family with a space to play, reflect and fill with memories. I enjoy sharing the space with my clients, especially when they do not feel like talking. After a run around, my dog Hawy then joins me in the therapy room and we wait for my first client of the day.
9.00am – 5.30pm: Client Time
Hawy always gives an energetic hello before I check in with a client’s well-being and enquire about any new reflections that have emerged since the last meeting.
I often work narratively and like to help people find new ways to frame their experiences through a self-compassionate lens. Checking in with people’s reflections allows me to unpack some of those fused beliefs that they are learning to reauthor. Trauma-informed work is focusing on empowering the client through resourcing, grounding and understanding. It gives space for safe disclosure and unpacking of the past safely and gently which allows an individual to integrate with their younger parts and find ways to step lighter in their present life. It is relational, somatic and heart led. I feel privileged to be able to do this work. I am grateful every day that I get to hold space for my clients.
I would like to say I always make time for a regular lunch break, however, I do not. So I will grab a sandwich or leftovers and mix a quick smoothie. I normally see 4-5 clients a day, this is a variety of face-to-face and online session work. I also offer free discovery calls, so both client and therapist can make sure there is going to be a good fit before starting. If I have a gap between clients I will either be drafting blog ideas, diving into a true crime podcast or if I feel emotionally full, I will spend some time in my garden sitting under a tree. It is important to make space for me when needed. Mindfulness is grounding and refocuses my work.
5.30pm: Notes & Home Time
At the end of my day I make sure notes are complete and follow-up sessions are in the diary. I spend a little time reflecting on the day, what I have learnt and what I need to remember about each person. I then tap the door and say goodbye to my clients, letting them know that I will be back in the morning. I can then step back into home life.
Evening: Family & Downtime
I spend the evening with family with a sit-down meal which is another daily ritual which prompts gratitude and planning future adventures together. Then it is story time and bedtime routine for my daughter.
My evening is usually a bit of admin, replying to enquiries and if there is any spare time, I will spend it watching TV or listening to an audiobook. Currently, I am preparing to step out of my comfort zone to be interviewed for a podcast which I am both excited and nervous about. It feels good to grow.
Down time consists of lots of time in my garden, tending my vegies, planning new projects with my daughter, walks on the beach or in the forest, BBQs and camping with friends.
Connect with Sunshine Coast Counsellor, Miranda Egan
