Tamara Antishin, LMSW

I would attribute my success primarily to curiosity. I genuinely love to learn and understand how things connect, both in people’s lives and in the tools and approaches that can support them. I stay interested in my clients’ experiences and how different aspects of their lives intersect, and I’m always looking for ways to apply what I’ve learned in meaningful, practical ways. I’ve also always had a wide range of interests, which shaped my early academic path I even explored multiple majors in undergrad before ultimately focusing on psychology. Over time, I’ve come to recognize that I also have a strong intuitive ability to see and understand people, which I consider a meaningful gift that supports my work as a therapist.

The best career advice I’ve received centers on two key principles. First, I learned the distinction between empathy and compassion in a compassion fatigue training: empathy is feeling for someone, while compassion is feeling with them. In this work, you can maintain empathy for many people throughout the day, but consistently feeling with everyone would quickly lead to burnout, so learning that boundary is essential for sustaining your ability to help others. Second, I’ve held onto a mindset I used to share with my staff in community mental health: “the ship is always burning.” The reality is that the work will always be urgent, unpredictable, and incomplete, so you focus on what’s in front of you, do your best within the workday, and then let it stay there. When the day is over, you step away and protect your personal time.

My advice to young women entering this field is, first, to make boundaries your friend. They are essential for protecting your energy, maintaining clarity, and sustaining long-term effectiveness in emotionally demanding work. Second, prioritize ongoing training as early as possible. While formal education provides a foundation, real confidence comes from learning how to apply those concepts in practice with real people in real situations. Seek out specialized trainings and modalities that align with your interests, because that is where theory becomes truly usable and impactful. Continuous learning is what helps you grow from understanding the work to effectively doing the work.

One of the greatest challenges in my field is the emotional intensity of working closely with people in pain, often in situations where I cannot change their circumstances. It can be difficult to witness ongoing hardship while still staying grounded in effective support, but I find deep meaning in the moments when clients experience breakthroughs, gain insight, and begin to reconnect with themselves. Maintaining strong boundaries and managing compassion fatigue are essential skills I developed early in my career. At the same time, there are significant opportunities for growth, particularly through collaboration with other wellness professionals, community partnerships, and expanding referral networks. I also see strong potential in developing new initiatives such as trainings, writing, and podcasting, as the demand for accessible mental health and wellness support continues to grow.

Integrity and respect. Being respectful of other people, doing - being the person that you believe you need to be and doing the right thing, even if the other person doesn't deserve it, and even if no one ever knows. Being consistent. Those things are important to me.