It started with a simple but uncomfortable question:

Why am I changing something that’s working?

On paper, everything looked good.
A solid therapy practice. Meaningful client work. Flexibility. Stability.

No crisis. No burnout spiral. No dramatic breaking point.

And yet… something in me kept tugging.

Not loudly. Not urgently.
But persistently.

Like a quiet voice sitting in the corner of the room saying:
“Not like this. There’s more you can do here.”

If you’ve ever stayed in something because it was good enough or “fine”… you may relate.

I spent years training and working as a clinical health psychologist. I genuinely loved so much of that work. And even now, I still love many parts of therapy.

But over time, something became clearer:

👉 I wasn’t able to use my full range of gifts
👉 I felt constrained by the container of therapy
👉 I kept thinking… if I could design this from scratch, it would look different

Not because therapy is bad.
But because it wasn’t the whole picture of what I’m here to do.

This isn’t my first pivot.

Years ago, I left my hospital role after realizing I was spending more and more time doing work that drained me (bariatric evaluations) and less of what energized me.

Nothing was “wrong”… until suddenly it was.

And that’s often how change works:

…until something finally pushes us.

This time, though?

There’s no push.

Just a pull.

And that’s a different kind of courage.

This shift isn’t about leaving something behind.

It’s about moving toward something I can’t ignore anymore.

One of my biggest Zone of Genius gifts is bringing incredible humans together.

And in therapy?

That’s not really allowed.

But I’ve seen what happens when people are in the right room together:

✨ Insight deepens
✨ Courage grows
✨ Change accelerates

There’s a kind of magic in community that I can’t replicate one-on-one.

In therapy, we talk.

In my community and retreats, we:

It’s not just insight.

It’s embodied change.

And honestly?

That’s where I see the most lasting transformation happen.

There’s this quiet belief many therapists carry:

“If I’m helping, I should be tired.”

But what if that’s not actually true?

What if the most sustainable, impactful work is mutually energizing?

The more I’ve leaned into creativity and Zone of Genius work, the more I’ve experienced:

✨ Sessions that light me up
✨ Ideas that flow naturally
✨ Work that gives back instead of just taking

That’s the kind of work I want to build around.

When I really sit with it… this isn’t about business at all.

It’s about this:

I want to raise humans who feel deeply worthy.

Humans who:

And here’s the truth I can’t get around:

👉 I can’t teach that if I’m not living it.

This work… this pivot… this discomfort…

It’s me practicing that.

One of the biggest things I see (and have lived):

We wait for clarity.

We wait for certainty.

We wait for the perfect plan.

But this kind of change?

It rarely makes logical sense at first.

It’s more like:

And if we ignore it long enough?

It usually gets louder.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about this:

We are living in a world with constant uncertainty.

And when that happens, our nervous system wants to:

🛑 Pull back
🛑 Play it safe
🛑 Just “get through”

But staying in that mode long-term?

It keeps us stuck.

Thriving requires something different:

👉 Intentional choices
👉 Creative risk
👉 Investing in ourselves (time, energy, resources)

Not recklessly.

But on purpose.

Maybe your version isn’t a business pivot.

Maybe it’s:

Whatever it is…

You don’t have to have it all figured out.

But you do have to start listening.

You can’t think your way into alignment.

You have to feel your way there.

That might look like:

Your next step?

It’s not in your head.

It’s in your body.

If this episode is hitting something in you…

You don’t have to do it alone.

Inside my world, I support therapists, helpers, and creative humans in:

✨ Reconnecting with their Zone of Genius
✨ Building work that feels aligned and alive
✨ Moving beyond overthinking into action

You can explore current offerings here:
👉 https://drshawnhondorp.com/offers

Or just reach out (my direct email is info@[email protected]) and tell me what’s been on your mind.

No pressure. Just a conversation.

There’s a version of you that already knows.

Not the strategic one.
Not the analyzing one.

The quieter one.

The one that lights up when you imagine something different.

You don’t have to burn your life down to follow it.

But you do have to stop ignoring it.

Uncover Your Zone of Genius
A free guide to help you identify the work and life that actually energizes you:

👉 https://pages.drshawnhondorp.com/zone

Join my Insider’s community for reflections, resources, and invitations to upcoming experiences:
👉 https://drshawnhondorp.com/contact/

Disclaimer:
This blog and podcast are for informational and educational purposes only. They do not constitute medical or mental health advice and are not a substitute for professional consultation or treatment.