Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with psychotherapist and entrepreneur, Angela Ficken of the emerging ProgressWellness.com brand. As a psychotherapist, Angela focuses on treating patients with a range of disorders including OCD and anxiety-related conditions. She is also an entrepreneur and course creator where she teaches students how to manage stress and anxiety at home!
What was your journey like becoming an entrepreneur?
I am sure that a lot of entrepreneurs can relate but it's been a meandering path! When I left my full-time job and went into trying to build a full-time private practice, I thought that’s all I was going to do for most of my career. But as the years go by, I realized there were so many creative opportunities and ways to share my expertise with others who could not meet me in my office.
I started to feel like I was an entrepreneur once I took the plunge in building a business outside of my office walls. My journey is still evolving, and it is full of excitement, uncertainty, stress, fun, and creativity!
You live in Boston--one of the coolest cities in the US. How do you like to spend your downtime?
Thank you; I agree that Boston is one of the coolest cities! There's so much to do and see--even after living here for my entire life.
But right now, being in the middle of the COVID pandemic, the way that I spend my time has changed. I like to spend my downtime taking walks to the public garden (masked and practicing social distance) with my two-year-old daughter or on my own. I also FaceTime with friends and family. And for fun, I am trying to improve my cooking abilities. I am currently trying to master a good pork chop. Wish me luck!
What is the Breaking Everyday into Slivers course?
Now that I've been in private practice for years, I've heard clients say that it took a lot of time and effort to find the right therapist. They would search Google and find any therapist, yet none could or would teach the necessary skills to cope with stress and anxiety. But after our first session, they would say they were progressing.
After hearing this, I wanted to find a way to reach people outside of the greater Boston area who had stress and anxiety issues. I conducted a lot of research and consulted with my marketing team to determine how I could reach people outside of Boston, which led to the development and launch of my course, Breaking Everyday into Slivers, Not Chunks. Anyone located anywhere can access the skills that I teach in my one-to-one office visits without leaving home!
What's your top stress management tip in today's highly chaotic environment?
Today, people are more stressed and anxiety-ridden than ever before because of the COVID pandemic. So, my best piece of advice is to sliver every day into small pieces. This is one of my favorite skills, and it is why I tilted my course Breaking Everyday into Slivers Not Chunks. If someone can break down a task that causes anxiety and stress into small bits, this creates steps toward achieving a goal--regardless of the size. This simple approach helps anyone see the light at the end of the tunnel without being overwhelmed. Small bits or slivers help reduce stress by providing a starting point, while chunks or large pieces can cause unneeded stress and panic. Take it one step at a time, essentially.
Where is your favorite place to travel?
Pretty much anywhere on Cape Cod--it's close enough to home but far away enough to feel like a vacation. The Cape in general is amazing. The beaches, the weather, the lobster rolls! If I could go anywhere this summer, it would be there.
What is this year's splurge?
Are you ready for this excitement?? It was a new washer and dryer! Our washer died out a week before our daughter got some awful stomach bug. Amazing timing, so we decided to go with a fancier option knowing we do lots of loads of laundry, especially having a toddler. It’s been a wonderful purchase. A washer that works and a dryer that actually dries things, it's a complete luxury!
How can readers get in touch with you?
Readers can contact me through my website progresswellness.com. I am also on Instagram @progresswellness and Facebook Progress Wellness, LLC
