

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Drewianka.
Hi Ryan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Ryan Drewianka and I’m the owner and therapist of Telos Counseling, working in partnership with Aslan Institute, which is an integrative mental health and wellness clinic in Eagan.
Even though I got my bachelor’s degree in psychology, I didn’t choose to become a psychotherapist until years later. To be honest, as a college student, I couldn’t even fathom why or how people could do therapy as a full-time job! Plus, going to graduate school, let alone so soon after college sounded awful. Instead, I used the statistics education from my psychology degree to get a job at a company that focused on marketing analytics.
Over the few years I worked there, I unfortunately realized how soul-crushing it became for me: a majority of my time was spent simply helping large companies make more money. I needed a change but had virtually nowhere to go. Thankfully, one of my saving graces during that time was to go on long bicycle rides to relax and clear my head. Eventually, I came up with the unorthodox idea of running away from the corporate world to become a salesperson at a bicycle shop.
I worked at the bike shop for a few years and finally experienced what it was like to have a semblance of purpose in my life. Instead of helping large corporations’ bottom line, I was teaching people about something I loved. I could help anyone from little kids to athletes find a bike that would accomplish their goals, and that became really special to me. As I gained experience I felt my confidence and self-esteem grow, but it also highlighted a yearning that I hadn’t quite anticipated. I began to wonder if I could do more for people.
I had thought about my background in psychology which had essentially been put on the back burner and reflected not only on the people skills that I had gained working at the bike shop but also on the values I realized were important to me because of my time there. It eventually clicked for me that becoming a therapist might actually be the next step!
I applied and got accepted to a master’s program in counseling psychology, and not too long after began working part-time on the psychiatric units of a local hospital to gain relevant experience. One of the last requirements of the counseling program was to complete a psychotherapy internship, which I chose to fulfill with one of the many counseling agencies near the Twin Cities. After I earned my master’s degree, I was grateful to be hired by that agency to continue practicing psychotherapy with teens and families.
I’ve since branched off and created my own private practice, Telos Counseling! I’m currently a pre-licensed psychotherapist while I earn enough clinically supervised hours to obtain my independent license. In my practice, I currently focus on helping adult children of narcissistic parents.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hah, it’s certainly been anything but a smooth road! Other than the twists and turns I already mentioned, I think the biggest struggles had to do with my own mental health and self-imposed limitations.
Imposter syndrome kept me down for quite a while following college, which severely dampened what I thought I could do for a career. At that time in my life, I was also really susceptible to meeting what I perceived to be others’ expectations of me rather than giving myself the space to consider my own expectations.
Looking back, I’m glad I went through those struggles because they forced me to learn more about myself and they led me to where I am today. However, I also wish that I had found the courage to ask for help and guidance at the time.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m the owner and psychotherapist of Telos Counseling, working in partnership with Aslan Institute, which is an integrative mental health and wellness clinic in Eagan.
I specialize in helping adult children of narcissistic parents heal from childhood emotional trauma. Folks who’ve suffered from being raised by a parent with narcissistic traits often feel like they have a shaky or timid sense of self because they were never allowed to be their own person; they were raised to be an extension of their parent(s) for their own purposes.
The namesake of my business is centered on the Greek word “Telos,” which was defined by Aristotle as an end, purpose, or goal. My passion is empowering folks to discover their voice, realize their inherent worth, and forge their own purpose in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.teloscounselingmn.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teloscounselingmn/
Image Credits
Ashley Drewianka, A.N.D Photos