Donna M. Torbico

I attribute my success to the healing work I did through Al-Anon, which set me on this path in the first place. Alongside that, years of extensive reading and long-term supervision by a therapist who kept me clinically grounded and on track have shaped who I am professionally. I also feel that a higher purpose guided my calling toward this work, and I've carried that sense of purpose with me throughout my career, devoting more than four decades to helping others reclaim the parts of themselves lost to childhood trauma.

The most meaningful lesson I received was learning to trust that my calling came from a higher purpose rather than from ego. When I questioned whether I was truly meant to become a therapist, I came to understand that genuine service is rooted in humility, continuous learning, and personal healing. That wisdom, along with the cumulative guidance I received from Al-Anon, my therapist-supervisor, and years of broad reading, has remained my compass and kept me on track throughout my career.

I encourage young women to do their own inner work first, before trying to guide others through theirs. You don't need to be perfect, but you do need to be reasonably healthy in your own recovery before taking on this work with clients. Beyond that, a strong educational foundation and genuine self-awareness matter enormously, as does finding a specialty that truly resonates with your own experience. I'd also remind anyone entering this field today that promotion and outreach look very different now that the internet is central to building a practice, so be prepared to adapt. Above all, lasting success comes from serving people with honesty, healthy boundaries, and a willingness to keep learning throughout your career.

I believe the growing awareness around childhood trauma, family dysfunction, and emotional wellness has created unprecedented opportunities, especially for women entering mental health. Technology and teletherapy now allow us to reach clients across the globe, making healing more accessible than ever. At the same time, this profession demands emotional resilience, ethical integrity, and healthy boundaries, and marketing and client outreach have changed substantially since I began practicing. I'd also add that a real challenge in this field is that some practitioners haven't done sufficient personal recovery work themselves. For those willing to keep investing in their own growth, though, I see limitless opportunity to become powerful agents of healing.

My life reflects a balance of strength and compassion. Having overcome my own experience growing up in an alcoholic family, as well as childhood bullying, I bring deep empathy to my work while still holding the courage to challenge the limiting beliefs that keep people stuck. I describe myself as both an Enneagram Type 8, strong, protective, and direct, and a "triple Pisces," intuitive and deeply compassionate, and I've learned that true healing requires both tenderness and truth. My international life experiences, having lived in Italy, Norway, and Czechoslovakia, broadened my understanding of people and cultures, and I carry that into my work creating safe spaces where clients can finally experience emotions they were never allowed to express. I believe everyone deserves the chance to discover who they truly are, beyond the roles and rules imposed on them in childhood.