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Sex and Relationship Therapist at Emma Schmidt & Associates, Vikki Smyth has lived in Indy since 2017. But she was born and bred on the coast of Northern Ireland. College brought her to the U.S. If she’s being honest, it wasn’t love at first sight, but she’s grown to love Indianapolis and its people. Seeing the changes taking place, plus working alongside folks recovering from addiction – she truly loves what she does. You will usually find Vikki walking around Irvington with her husband and three pups. (Learn more by following her on Instagram.) Tell us more Vikki!
My Maven Superpower is … laughter. I truly think it’s one of the most healing things we can do, and I love participating in that.
Best book I’ve read lately is … Finding Me by Viola Davis
Self-care habit I swear by … Yoga. Originally I was such a skeptic; however, I find it helps me stay present, get in my body and BREATHE (it’s amazing how often I forget to do that haha).
My first job was … at a petting zoo!
The best career advice I can offer is … bring YOU to your career. For too long I sat in stuffy clothes that were “professional” but not my style, and I did what I was “supposed” to do. Anyone can do that, but no one can bring exactly what you can. Embrace and embody that in whatever space you’re in. If your place of work doesn’t embrace and foster that, then it’s probably not somewhere you will grow.
A purchase I’ve been loving lately is … a fun drink from Loren’s AF Beverages in Fishers!
I feel most confident when … I’m grounded and centered.
My favorite local restaurant dish is … can everything at Bodhi be an answer? I love their noodle dishes.
The thing I’ve been binging lately is … I think the last show I binged was Derry Girls (shocking right?). The show is so nostalgic for me; I highly recommend it!
A fun fact about me is … I have a pug named Arthur (full name Arthur Guinness) that I am absolutely obsessed with.
The skill I most want to learn is … ceramics! We have such a rich ceramic culture here in Indianapolis.
A Maven you should know is … Marla Taylor! You will find her supporting local talent all across the city, whether that be a non-profit superstar or a local musician. She truly cares about this city and the people in it.
My favorite nonprofit to support is … Dove House. They do amazing work with women in recovery from drug and alcohol use. As someone who grew up around substance abuse and also worked in it, finding treatment centers that empower and support is crucial and sometimes hard to find. They’re doing the work.
Something I’d like to celebrate … I am really trying to take my own advice of pushing against professional “shoulds” and trusting that I, in my embodied state, am my best asset. I showed up to a work photo shoot this past week with my hair natural, my nose ring in, and my tattoos out. I would have never allowed this in the past. At the last photo shoot I showed up in a muted outfit with long sleeves, hair strengthened, and made sure I had gotten a nice conservative nose stud the night prior. I felt so relaxed this past week when I was able to show up how I do outside of work hours.
What’s next for me is … Honestly? I have no idea! I am really trying to just do the next thing that makes me say “ohh, that interests me!”, and it has led me to where I am now, which is so fulfilling and fun. I am excited to see where that continues to take me.
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