Dayna Fuchs, Ph.D. shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Dayna, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Both of my children are grown adults and one is married and expecting her first baby, and my son relocated to another state for a job that he loves. My visits with my son are something I always look forward to and love. The anticipation of being a first time Nonni is thrilling and we are so excited as we are counting down the days with anticipation. The excitement of a new family member has also re- ignited my passion for creativity and has inspired me to get back to painting and learning to work with new mediums. Not every production is a masterpiece, but I see improvement! THAT makes me happy!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I am Dayna Fuchs, Ph.D.. I am a licensed clinical psychologist and have practiced in Dallas for almost 35 years. I am originally from Kansas City, Missouri and. attended college at Washington University in St. Louis and graduate school at the University of Missouri-Columbia. I moved to Dallas to begin my internship at the Dallas V.A. Medical Center and after having married, I made Dallas my forever home. I have a private practice in North Dallas where I work with people starting at age 15. Mostly my practice consists of adults, however. I have been so fortunate to love what I do and work with so many incredible people. I started my practice specializing in the areas of addiction and trauma, including developmental trauma, sexual abuse, and domestic violence..
Through the years my practice has become more eclectic in that I see people suffering from anxiety disorders, depression, grief and loss, challenges with family members, marriage and divorce issues, parenting issues and often general unhappiness, self doubt, questioning their purpose, uncertainty about their future, just to name a few. The list is endless. But the joy in meeting so many different people and being part of their journey is immeasurable.
Therapy with me is collaborative and tailored to the client’s needs. I am often asked what type of therapy I “do” which is sometimes difficult to answer. I most closely align with cognitive behavioral therapy but incorporate a variety of psychological methods such as schema therapy, EMDR, various reading materials and exercises to practice in between sessions, and sometimes tracking their symptoms in a journal or phone so they can monitor their progress.
When I am NOT working, I love spending time with my family and my dogs, a 2 year old Cavapoo and a Maltese who thinks she’s the queen. These past two years I have rejuvenated a side of my personality that has been untapped for about 10 years. That is the re-awakening of my right brain. I have started painting again with different mediums just for enjoyment. Mostly I have been inspired by the soon to be born grandson my daughter is about to have! I am excited to announce that I will be a grandmother, or in my case, “Nonni” in mid November. My husband will be known as “Pops.” We are over the moon with anticipation and this is our first NON-4-LEGGED grand child. Stay tuned as we all move into a new exciting stage of life!
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I was 15 and in the 10th grade. One day I just woke up and decided to apply to a private school without telling anyone. I had heard of this college prep school but wondered whether I was smart enough to get accepted. As a young person I was rather shy and not very confident in myself. I thought if I were rejected no one would know but me. I was also fearful of telling my parents because I knew it cost money that we did not have. Plus, neither sibling had attended a private school. One day I came home from school and my mother said I had received mail from this particular school. Despite her being curious I ran up to my room and opened the envelope. I was accepted!! Now was the hard part…convincing my parents to let me attend. My hunch was I would hear “absolutely not.” Instead, they said, “if you can get a scholarship you can attend.” I was elated. I obtained a scholarship. The next step was to tell my friends I had grown up with that I would not be returning to the public school. They shunned me. They walked past me in the hallways and ignored me. They wouldn’t talk to me. It was devastating. I couldn’t understand what I did wrong. I had thought my friends would be happy for me. Adults would say “oh they are just jealous” or “they are hurt that you didn’t tell them about your plan.” Those explanations were insufficient. I WAS TRAUMATIZED. I felt like a pariah. My world shattered. No one understood the impact that had on me and would continue to have. I transferred to the new school. I thrived but felt like an outsider because I was new. But I was driven to understand what had happened and why. This was the moment I was certain I wanted to pursue a degree in psychology. It was also the day I realized I don’t NEED those friends. It was the day I realized the decisions and choices I make are good for ME despite the opinions or judgements from others. I was driven to prove I was “good enough” and my hurt and anger fueled my determination to succeed in my efforts. Over time, and through much loneliness and tears I became more confident and forged a path for which I am forever grateful. Believe me there were setbacks and challenges along the way, but I had always felt that “adults know everything, kids know nothing”. Most people have at least some insecurities or self doubts but they are concealed. The friend experience remains a memory I do not like to revisit, however it made me resilient and strong and self assured. I whole heartedly encourage success through learning to trust ones instincts and taking chances on something desired. My clients make progress because they become empowered to trust themselves and give themselves permission to become the person they want to be!
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Embrace possibility; who you believe you are today does not have to be static. With your dreams, hard work, belief in yourself even in the face of doubters, you can be the best version of yourself and face any challenges. Life will be bumpy, as Dr. Seuss said, And you will meet up with many strange birds along the way. But, be careful to not let the opinions or reactions of others rob you of your dreams, goals. Surround yourself with people who root for you, who want you to succeed and be happy!
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
One of the most obvious ways smart people are “getting it wrong today” is by internalizing what I call “sound bites.” Social media inundates us with psychological terms, catchy phrases, diagnostic labels and symptoms that suggest the possibility that someone has a condition or disorder requiring medical or psychiatric intervention. Often times these terms lead people down a proverbial rabbit hole where they feel confident in applying certain diagnostic conditions to other people. There are a number of concerns I have professionally regarding this matter. The first issue is the widespread application of terms that pathologize what may actually be benign yet uncomfortable symptoms or undesirable symptoms. And in fact, some people look upon fluctuations in internal emotional states as a “relapse” warning from when they were clinically depressed or anxious. Our labels and interpretations of feeling states are often within normal range and can actually be viewed positively. What one person labels feeling ‘depressed’ may really signify some apathy, boredom, desire for stimulation. Anxiety is not always anxiety! Sometimes anxiety is due to stress which can be fear. The importance of reframing internal sensations and what emotions we interpret those to be can actually be what becomes a driving force to productivity rather than paralysis. I believe we are so accustomed to reading about psychiatric conditions and symptoms, that we have come to a place of forgetting that humans have the capacity to feel numerous feelings throughout any given day and some how we have lost touch with what once was considered a normal variation of a mood state and a transient state, not a cause for alarm!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Honestly I can today say I am at the happiest and most fulfilling stage of my life. For many years I struggled with what we call an “imposter syndrome.” This fortunately eroded over many years and dedication to my career. I have spent significant amounts of time attending conferences, staying informed about psychology related issues, seeking training in additional treatment methods such as Schema therapy and EMDR. The main reason I cannot answer the question “what kind of therapy do you do” is because I believe there are effective and essential contributions from a vast number of researchers, scholars, and schools of psychology. For me, knowing my client and individualizing their care stems from experience and careful consideration of how best to meet their needs without simply adhering to one school of thought. I get “praise” and more importantly I derive much joy from the experiences and changes reported by my clients. This is the reason I went into this field. I experienced a trauma of sorts. In the end, I am a product of history and that trauma contributed to the person I came to be. It has also contributed to a level of compassion, understanding and encouragement for those individuals I work with. It has allowed me to offer hope to others. I don’t feel I need to hear praise from others. I FEEL it in the connections I have made over these past 35 years. I want to keep on keeping on!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://daynafuchs.com
- Other: Therapy sites, Psychology Today, National Register of Health Service Providers, Findapsychologist, Magazine, Best Rated
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