My name is Dr. Amy Wiseman I am a licensed clinical psychologist. I believe growth and change comes through cultivating vulnerability, which leads to greater self-integration and authenticity. I know how difficult it is to allow oneself be vulnerable, so I thought taking a moment to share a little story of where Ducky comes from, in hopes that being vulnerable in this public forum would encourage my prospective patients to reach out to me.

Ducky is a nickname given to me by my father when I was a toddler, because I reminded him of the character Ducky from Land Before Time. It didn’t really stick much past my childhood, as my father was the only one to use the name. Later, however, when I was a young adult exploring the world, I ventured out to the Burning Man festival. I found myself amongst a group of people who seemed as wild and connected as I wanted to feel.

A young woman I had just met decided that I needed a “burner name”, which is a common tradition at the festival. Then, as if she had plucked the name magically from the ether, she looked at me and stated “I’m going to call you Ducky.” That moment shines in my memory, because I felt truly seen by another human being.

That feeling of being seen is one that we all are striving for, but that we also build barriers against. That level of vulnerability can feel so risky. It feels like a risk as I am writing this: What will my prospective patients think of me? Will you think I’m a nut for having some magical beliefs? Will you think I’m silly for taking a goofy nick name and building my business around it? I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is it is worth the risk! Feeling seen and heard by others allows us to bring compassion to the parts of ourselves we ignore, neglect, and even reject. I invite you to join me on this journey of self-exploration and integration. I invite you to take a risk and trust this stranger who wants to know who you are, in your fullness, living your most authentic life.