Today we’d like to introduce you to Steph Iles.
Hi Steph, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My early career was as a financial analyst in high tech. I then took a break to raise and homeschool my two boys. When they graduated, I was looking for the next thing. I decided to go back to school and get my degree as an LMFT. I loved working with teens and families.
I originally got licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in a big city in California. In the Spring of 2022, I moved to rural Tennessee, just outside of Knoxville. When I arrived I found out I would have to jump through a few hoops to get licensed in this state. I continued to work online with my California clients. After seven months of emails, testing, and gathering information, I was finally licensed to work here.
I noticed that Rockwood, Tennessee does not seem to have any other therapists who are marriage and family licensed. I decided to open a private practice, drop my California license, and start working in person only. I was hoping to serve my immediate community. My clients actually come from as far as Knoxville, Cookeville, and Dayton, but i still continue to only work in-person.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been easy. I had to take the LMFT exam a second time, therefore there wasa month or two of studying involved.
I also struggled to find the right location. I have finally settled on a small house in Rockwood where I meet with my clients. This is not my residence, but a small house I use as an office.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Living Room Family Counseling LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
When I originally started, I thought I would mostly work with teens. I have written a book about the parent/teen relationship and felt very confident in that area. I had spend many years working with teens and it was what I knew the most.
Three years ago, when I arrived in rural Tennessee, I realized I would have to become more of a general practitioner in mental health. I work with most ages. I have had clients as young as 2 and as old as 80+. I have worked with families, individuals, and couples. Due to the variety, I have had to increase my research and training. I have taken many classes and read many books to stay on top of the variety of clients I support.
I have had to do a lot of research on dual relationships when practicing therapy in rural communities. I live in such a small town, I have had to learn solid boundaries with my clients. Many of my clients attend my church, go to my grocery store, and live in my neighborhood.
What are your plans for the future?
I would like to work with more groups. I think there’s such a deficit of social connection and the skills that go along with that. With the internet, cell phones, etc, I find people are not connecting enough in person. I am a huge advocate for the importance of community.
Pricing:
- Individual, Couples, Families $100/hour
- Group Sessions $40/90 minutes
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ilesmft.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575264711510
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephiles/
