What is your name?
Heidi Goehmann
Where do you work?
Fountain Point Medical Community and from home!
What is your job?
I am a licensed clinical social worker and independent mental healthcare provider in the state of Nebraska. I have a private therapy practice specializing in a broad range of mental health concerns for kids, teens, adults, couples, and families. I am a certified EMDR therapist and while I love providing talk therapy and helping people develop new skills, I also use creative and play-based strategies in my play therapy room. I also am an author and speaker and serve as an advocate for mental health on my website and blog.
How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
I have four kids – 18, 16, 12, 10
What do you love about living in Norfolk?
I really love Norfolk for its eclectic offerings and personality. Norfolk has lots to offer as far as restaurants, the outdoors, the arts, services, etc. But it also doesn’t fit the mold. There is lots of diversity represented, and also a diversity of talents, thoughts, beliefs, ideas, and of lifestyles. Norfolk has a great representation and appreciation for the past, present, and the future. That’s a healthy vibe to be a part of on an every day basis.
What’s your favorite restaurant and/or place to shop in your city?
My favorite restaurant is the Hyvee East Market Grill. The staff is so friendly and accommodating whether it’s just happy hour drinks for Dave and I or burgers for the family. The energy of the grill reminds me of everyone shouting, “Norm!” on the television show Cheers when I was growing up. It feels like a neighborhood meet up even if you don’t know anyone there. The bartenders know how to mix a good drink and the sushi chef is also top notch.
Tell us about your career.
My favorite things to study have always been spirituality and areas like psychology and sociology. There is surprising overlap that I think makes us uncomfortable but that we all really need to have safe places to explore. So that’s what I aim to do with my books and my work as a therapist. No matter what vantage point a person is coming from, I want them to know they are loved, worthy of time and energy, and full of insight about themselves and the world around them. I also enjoy reducing barriers to accessing high quality mental health services in rural and semi-rural areas and that was one of my goals when I started my private practice at Fountain Point Medical Community. I also stayed at home with my kids for 12 years and that was an awesome career that I still get to do every day. I’m thankful we aren’t limited to one passion or one dream in this life.
Why did you decide to become a social worker?
I feel like social work found me. I knew I wanted to help people and found my original bachelor’s degree in theology and psychology by happenstance because it was something my college offered and it sounded like such a cool fit. Then when I was looking for graduate studies, my friend recommended social work and when I opened a local university’s social work department website words like justice, change, and listen jumped out at me. Social work is about helping individuals and families, but it’s also about helping them by changing the systems we all live and work in that don’t serve us well or the cultures around us that need adjustments toward awareness, kindness, and justice. Changing the world by changing my little corner of it – yes, please! Changing the world together by changing our little corner together, even better.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I love the connection and creativity social work and clinical practice offer. I get to walk alongside so many people and be a part of their story, helping them honor their story. Each day, each stressor, each problem offers ways to think creatively and learn new things about ourselves and our world.
How do you juggle work with mommyhood?
I think I try to integrate the two rather than juggle them. I live as Heidi, invested in the things I’ve been called to invest in every day, and let all the other stuff go. I let a lot of things go. I don’t make stuff, but I love when other people do that. I take my kids on adventures in the world and in books because that’s what we value and that’s what I have bandwidth the for. I have to make time for things I don’t like, such as cleaning my toilets (boo) and I have a small (flexible) schedule to make sure those things get done, but I avoid signing up for things that are not in my values. I use Snapchat and music and late-night talks to tune into my older kids. I try to meet them on their terms as well as ask them to bend and mold to my ideas. Dave and I have a marriage that assumes that daddyhood has just as many responsibilities as mommyhood. That helps a lot. When the tension of those roles rises up, we work through it together. Sometimes there’s yelling. But there’s also a lot of hugging and listening. Last, I have a close group of girlfriends who help me evaluate how I’m doing and whether I’m doing too much or ignoring one area of life for others. They check in on me and know how to make a gal feel loved and seen in her imperfections as well as her triumphs. Finding your people goes a long way and is worth the effort.
Want to know more about Heidi?
You can find her on Instagram (@heidigoehmann) and Facebook or at www.heidigoehmann.com.
