CHRISTINE OLSEN: HOW TO SETTLE INTO YOUR NICHE WITH CONFIDENCE | EP 99

Why Christine decided to become a Social Worker 

‘It took me a long time to figure that out. I was one of those teenagers where [I was] told that you need to know what you’re gonna do, and I didn’t … [but] social work is what stood out to me … I think I would like that.’ – Christine Olsen

Christine felt a draw to working with people. In the midst of feeling uncertain about what she wanted to do as a profession, she drew on what she knew her likes and dislikes were, and that guided her to wanting to work with people and become a social worker. 

And not only that, but because Christine was an empathetic child, she knew that she wanted to see how the world looks different to each person due to their realities. 

‘Why is the world the way it is? Social injustices, really understanding that the world can be viewed in different ways and people experience the world in different ways … I didn’t have parents that understood the world in that way either to teach me, so the opportunity to learn about that and understand the world that I didn’t get either … Social work seemed fascinating.’ – Christine Olsen 

Getting into private practice 

Initially, Christine only thought that she would start a private practice toward the end of her career. She felt that it needed so much experience to do well, and so she thought that she had to have more years under her belt – even though she already had 10! 

However, due to changing circumstances in her life, Christine decided to give it a shot earlier than she had initially anticipated. 

‘I knew that [my old job] was something I couldn’t go back to, or it was something I had to go back to with a plan, so my thinking was … [to start] part-time until I feel secure, and then I’ll go full-time, but that’s not really what happened!’ – Christine Olsen 

Christine couldn’t find daycare for her child and her previous job didn’t offer her flexibility, so she decided to take the financial hit and jump straight into a private practice instead of scrambling for another job in a difficult work environment. It was tough, but she made it work!

‘I sometimes love when that happens because it makes it easier to do things that you’re scared to do because you’re like, “Well, I guess I’ve got to do it!”’ – Julia Smith

Christine’s niche of working with men in therapy  

‘I was taking pieces of my career that I really liked and trying to transfer those pieces into what would make sense [for me] in private practice.’ – Christine Olsen 

It felt natural and easier for her to work with men in therapy. She had experience working with men who experience irritability and anger and enjoyed that work.

Outdated societal expectations can make it difficult for male individuals to seek out therapy willingly, and it can cause their struggles or pain to intensify, which can lead to damage and suffering in their relationships. 

‘A lot of the men I see are just like that … Not having the understanding or seeing of; “What do I do with this feeling?” and not knowing how to talk about it … sometimes you don’t have the practice, the skills or what to say [about] what’s going on inside, and I think we see that a lot in men.’ – Christine Olsen 

Experimenting with effective marketing strategies 

First and foremost, Christine set up a website for her Canadian private practice. She markets only in Ontario. She uses search engine optimization (SEO) for both Ontario and Thunder Bay, including online therapy, and therapy for men. 

‘I always try to make it clear that I’m working with anyone in Ontario, anywhere I am, whether that’s on my website, on my blogs, on my Instagram, on my therapy listings, I’m just always trying to make that super clear.’ – Christine Olsen 

Her marketing goal right now is to show up more on Google, so Christine prioritizes her writing, especially since she’s done it over the last couple of years, so it does go faster. She writes what flows to her on a day-to-day basis, relating to her niche, and makes it something that she enjoys.