What does it actually look like to practice therapy mindfully? How do therapists hold space for complex emotions while maintaining their own groundedness and capacity?
This month, we’re sharing an intimate glimpse into the daily practice of Madison Parikka, AMFT, one of our associate therapists at Center for Mindful Psychotherapy. Her video offers more than a “day in the life.” It’s a window into how therapeutic philosophy becomes lived practice, how boundaries create sustainability, and how attention to seasonal rhythms can inform our understanding of transition and belonging.
Who is AMFT Madison Parikka?
Madison is a warm, relationally focused therapist who integrates Narrative, Humanistic, and Mindfulness principles in her work along with aspects of other modalities. Madison specializes in:
- Grief and loss
- Boundary setting and relational patterns
- Complex and non-traditional family systems
- LGBTQIA+ relationships and identity
- Attachment and connection
She offers both virtual and in-person sessions for California residents and co-facilitates a weekly therapy group for queer women in relationships with heterosexual cisgender men, a nuanced relational identity that requires specialized understanding of both LGBTQIA+ experience and heteronormative relationship dynamics.
A Mindful Day: Watch Madison’s Video
What This Video Reveals About Therapeutic Practice
1. Self-Care Isn’t Selfish. It’s Foundational.
Madison begins her day identifying bird sounds, noticing the quality of light, and allowing herself moments of quiet before seeing clients. She’s explicit about why: “My commitment to my own self-care directly impacts my ability to hold space for my clients.”
This isn’t luxury. It’s professional integrity. When therapists resource themselves, they can remain present, grounded, and genuinely available for the complexity clients bring into the room.
Concrete Practice: Madison uses her shower as a somatic boundary, a ritual that helps her decompress and transition between roles (therapist, partner, individual). This kind of intentional delineation prevents burnout and models healthy boundary setting for clients.
2. Transitions Require Softening, Not Forcing
Reflecting on the shift from fall to winter, Madison observes: “The trees get all brown and the ground gets all green… I’m allowing my energy to be grounded, quiet, and to let my soil soften.”
This somatic awareness mirrors the themes in our November newsletter about scarcity and sovereignty. When external circumstances shift (seasons, finances, relationships), we often brace and control. Madison’s practice invites the opposite: softening, allowing, and trusting the rhythm of change.
Therapeutic Connection: In Narrative Therapy, we help clients distinguish between the external reality of transition and the internal stories about what those transitions mean. Madison’s reflection on seasonal change demonstrates this practice in real time.
3. Belonging Comes From Presence, Not Performance
Madison closes her day returning to nature, quoting Mary Oliver’s iconic line about “your place in the family of things.” This isn’t about achieving or proving worth. It’s about recognizing inherent belonging through simple presence.
For clients struggling with feelings of “not enough” (financially, relationally, professionally), this reframe is profound. Belonging doesn’t require perfection. It requires presence.
4. Specialized Expertise Matters
Madison’s therapy group focuses on a specific, complex identity: queer women in romantic relationships with heterosexual cisgender men. This population faces unique challenges around visibility, identity validation, and navigating relationships that may appear heteronormative while not reflecting their full identity.
This level of specificity demonstrates Madison’s deep understanding of LGBTQIA+ experience, relational complexity, and the importance of affirming, knowledgeable therapeutic spaces.
Why This Matters for Your Healing
You deserve a therapist who:
- Models the self-care and boundaries they encourage in you
- Understands that transitions require compassion, not control
- Recognizes your inherent worth independent of your productivity or performance
- Has specialized experience in your specific identity and relational experiences
At Center for Mindful Psychotherapy, our associate therapists receive ongoing clinical supervision and training in evidence-based, specialized approaches. This combination offers you expert care at accessible rates.
Connect With Madison
Madison currently has openings in her practice for California residents. She offers:
- Individual therapy (virtual and in-person)
- Specialized support for grief, boundaries, and complex family systems
- LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy
- Weekly therapy group for queer women in relationships with cisgender men
Ready to Begin?
Visit our therapist directory to learn more about Madison’s approach or contact us to schedule a consultation.
If you’re navigating transition, having difficulty with feelings of scarcity, or seeking a therapist who truly understands the complexity of your identity and relationships, we’re here.