Episode 14 | Holistic Therapy In Practice: Interview With Kimberly Small

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of The Holistic Therapist Podcast, LeNaya Smith Crawford sits down with Kim Small, a licensed clinical social worker, group practice founder, wellness community leader, and graduate of the Holistic Therapist Academy.

Kim shares her journey toward becoming a holistic therapist, including how her professional experience and personal exploration of faith, spirituality, and healing led her to seek a more integrated approach to mental health. She reflects on moving beyond traditional clinical frameworks, trusting her intuition, and embracing the unique ways healing can unfold for each client.

Together, LeNaya and Kim explore how therapists can expand their toolbox, integrate practices such as breathwork and sound healing, and approach their work with greater confidence, flexibility, and ethical awareness.

Kim also shares how embracing a holistic approach has helped her expand her business, support other wellness professionals, and build a more sustainable relationship with her work while making space for rest and personal healing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Healing doesn't have to fit into one framework. A holistic approach allows therapists to draw from different modalities and respond to each client's individual needs.

  • Trust your intuition while maintaining ethical boundaries. Intuition can complement clinical knowledge when paired with appropriate training, thoughtful practice, and client feedback.

  • Expand your therapeutic toolbox. Breathwork, sound healing, chakra awareness, and other holistic practices offer additional ways to support clients when traditional cognitive or somatic approaches aren't the right fit.

  • Confidence grows through practice. Training, practical experience, and clear ethical frameworks can help therapists integrate holistic modalities into their work more confidently.

  • Learn to distinguish intuition from triggers. Kim shares how personal healing, self-awareness, and consistent reflection have helped her recognize the difference between intuitive guidance and trauma-driven urgency.

  • A sustainable practice can take many forms. Expanding beyond traditional one-on-one therapy can create opportunities for group practice leadership, coaching, intensives, and wellness offerings.

  • Honor the human behind the healer. Making room for playfulness, imagination, rest, and personal well-being is an important part of a holistic approach to life and work.

PRACTICES AND MODALITIES MENTIONED

  • Breathwork

  • Sound healing and sound baths

  • Chakra awareness

  • Somatic approaches

  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Meditation and guided meditation

  • Intuitive and spiritual practices

  • Morning routines and time in nature

  • Holistic mental health and trauma-informed care

EXPLORE THE HOLISTIC THERAPIST ACADEMY

Ready to expand your therapeutic toolbox and explore a more holistic approach to mental health?

The Holistic Therapist Academy offers a framework for integrating different layers of healing into your work, helping you explore holistic modalities with greater confidence, practical understanding, and ethical awareness.

Explore the Academy and enroll here:

https://lenaya-crawford.mykajabi.com/holistictherapistacademyenroll

WORK AND HEAL WITH LENAYA

Ready to go deeper? Here is how we can work together:

FOLLOW LENAYA

  • Instagram: @lenayasmithcrawford

  • Threads: @lenayasmithcrawford

  • TikTok: @lenayasmithcrawford

  • Website: lenayasmithcrawford.com

  • Get in touch: hello@lenayasmithcrawford.com

ABOUT KIMBERLY SMALL

Kim Small is a licensed clinical social worker, founder of a group therapy practice in South Florida, and creator of a wellness community for professionals navigating life, love, and leadership.

A graduate of the Holistic Therapist Academy, Kim integrates holistic approaches into her clinical and wellness work. Her work includes supporting clients through therapy and intensives, offering wellness experiences such as sound baths and meditation, and helping practitioners and wellness professionals grow their businesses and move through patterns that may be holding them back.

DISCLAIMER

The content shared on The Holistic Therapist Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. LeNaya Smith Crawford is a licensed therapist but is not your therapist. Nothing shared in this podcast should be taken as personal mental health advice or used as a substitute for working with a licensed mental health professional. If you are in crisis or need immediate support, please reach out to a licensed professional in your area.