We recently had the chance to connect with Cori Hildebrandt MA, LPC WI, LPCC MN and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Cori, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Practicing Open Floor or conscious dance. I love moving on a dance floor often with my eyes closed, going inward, being left to my own devices, finding my way home to my center.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I own Coriander Living Collective based out of River Falls, WI. I offer Certified BRAINSPOTTING & EMDR Therapy, Open Floor International Dance Movement Classes, and teach on various topics related to wellbeing.
Owner/Psychotherapist, MA, Licensed Professional Counselor WI, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor MN, Certified Open Floor International Teacher.
A socially interested, resourceful professional dedicated to promoting self-sufficiency, awakening awareness and insight, encouraging action, fostering healing, and cultivating satisfaction in the lives of others. Stands that we all have a responsibility to nurture healthy people and communities. Committed to ongoing learning and growth.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was creative, artistic, outspoken, not afraid to approach anyone, I felt comfortable in all spaces and found a general sense of belonging. I was controlled, carried high self-expectations, and highly identified with the children’s book by Roger Hargreaves “Little Miss Perfect.”
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I have been lucky to be a healthy, able-bodied person in my life full of vitality, accustomed to being efficient and capable. I had limited exposure and interaction with the medical system and illness or physical or emotional limitations until a few years ago, I was hit with vestibular problems and nervous system dysregulation from what I now believe was a covid vaccine brain injury and post-covid syndrome.
The learning and discovery of my own recovery and healing journey has been immense. I have been exposed to countless types of Western, alternative, and integrative medicine approaches, and various healing modalities. I understand in a lived and embodied way about nervous system dysregulation, panic, brain injuries, grief, our vestibular systems, being pushed beyond the edge of what you can handle, and more. I have developed a deeper sense of compassion for those with health struggles, limitations, panic, financial stress, and intrusive thoughts. I think about our human systems in an even expanded, interconnected way, and how to investigate what is happening for my clients. My own journey has enabled me to be a better therapist and friend, I have a web of healing professionals I am connected with outside and I happily refer appropriate clients to. I suffered deeply, contracted, and then expanded.
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. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
That equality is not a natural state. That all human behavior is motivated by fulfilling our basic survival or psychological needs whether we are conscious of it or not.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
YES! I spent 10 years working towards a career that would allow me to be self-employed with the idea that I would have more flexibility and freedom to travel, to be able to work remotely abroad, spend part of the Midwestern winter somewhere warm. In January 2023, I headed off to Granada, Nicaragua to spend a month working remotely and enjoying the warm weather and Latin culture, my dream I had been working on for over 10 years and I ended up coming home early! Part of it was due to my vestibular issues starting and needing medical attention, another part was that I realized I had come to love the comfort of my daily home routine, and I hated the idea of work responsibility while I was not at home! I have realized that I do not want to travel with a laptop ever again and that I prefer vacation time and working time to be totally separate! Don’t get me wrong, I still love to travel!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.corianderlivingcollective.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coriander_lifewelllived/
- Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/coriander_lifewelllived/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corianderlivingcollective/
- Other: Upcoming Workshops & Retreats! https://www.corianderlivingcollective.com/workshops-retreats
