Meet Anthony Hansen, PhD | Licensed Psychologist, Parent, & Partner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Hansen, PhD and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Being a practicing psychologist has influenced my understanding of risk, and upon reflection, my own experiences are better explained within a psychological perspective. For many individuals, risk brings about anxiety and unease. Anything deemed “risky” is most-likely an endeavor in which the preferred outcome is not guaranteed, and one’s ability to engage in risky decisions will inevitably push each individual to rely on their own self-efficacy in order to proceed. In my own clinical practice, when relevant, a client and I may attempt to ascertain what “matters” in their lives. In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an approach used in clinical practice which is based in Cognitive Theory, we sometimes may attempt to identify and understand the person’s values, and strive to discover what is “meaningful” in their lives. When we truly understand these values, we can then begin to make decisions to “move toward” those values in our life’s decisions, and trust ourselves to handle whatever happens along that path.
This may involve risk.
In my own journey, the path to becoming a Licensed Psychologist, parent, and partner was fraught with risks and unexpected situations that led to both success and failure. I remember enrolling in a community college at the age of 22 on a whim at a lunch break in the warehouse job I held, and took the SAT that weekend with no preparation after 4 years out of school. I knew that leaving the job was a risk, but I had to believe that my life was meant for more than what I saw as my current trajectory. It was then also a risk for me to leave my hometown and move to Athens, GA to attend UGA after transferring. It was a risk for me to pursue the major of Psychology knowing that my career prospects weren’t guaranteed without graduate education. I was a modestly successful student at that time, and I believed (as many do) that all graduate students must be near-perfect or the best-of-the-best as measured by GPA and advanced testing scores. My resume was solid but nowhere near spectacular, and to be honest it was a risk to apply, knowing that none of the applications were a guaranteed admission. It was again a risk to graduate my masters program without taking the master’s-level licensure exam and go all-in to the doctoral program, and everyone said it was a risk to begin my family and have children while still in graduate school.
In fact, a lot of decisions in the path in becoming a Psychologist are risky, as many stages are not guaranteed and carry their own consequences for failure, including internship year, post-doctoral work, and the brutal process of licensure. As I reflect on the process I understand that much of my journey involved taking risks, and relying on my own self-efficacy and trust in myself to “handle” whatever may come along in that path.
I have recently made the decision to leave a salaried position at a University with a client population I love, in order to begin the process of private practice work on my own. I believe I am prepared for this transition, and I think that my work-life balance will greatly improve, but I have to be honest that the move is an enormous risk. Nothing in my training or professional journey prepared me to run a business, let alone on my own.
But remember what tenets of ACT say about values and meaning? I firmly believe that having my own practice that allows me to do the work that I love on my own terms will be better for my overall health, and allow me to focus on the other part of my life that means so much to me: spending time being a partner and father. The only thing I know is that this risk is worth the effort. I may fail, but I have to believe in myself that I will do everything I can to figure out how to thrive, or trust that I will figure out how to thrive if the endeavor struggles or fails.
I try to not be too hypocritical in my work with others. I encourage others to trust themselves and “move toward” the things they want in their life, so I must also do the same.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am a Licensed Psychologist in independent practice in Atlanta, GA. I offer fully virtual services for individuals and couples, and I am available for consultation and clinical supervision. I am excited to cultivate my own practice and serve people across the state of Georgia (and even outside with the help of the PSYPACT interstate compact), and to hopefully continue to forge incredibly rewarding therapeutic relationships.

I formed my practice in January of 2022 after careful consideration of my career trajectory. I have worked in collegiate mental health for many years, with work at Kennesaw State University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and at Emory University, and while I am sad to leave the collegiate population, I am finally ready to work on my own and focus on clinical practice in the local community. Starting my own business has definitely been a learning process, as I was not well-trained in the business aspects of independent practice (rarely to trainees and students get that kind of training) and it carries a bit of risk, but nonetheless I am excited by the prospects of seeing clients full-time.

One of the most important lessons I have learned in my training is to constantly assess life-balance, and to try to identify ways to continue to improve your life situations. With my decision to leave a salaried position and pursue completely independent practice, I strive to live alongside the tenets that are frequently discussed with my clients. The move to begin my own practice is incredibly exciting and will hopefully be rewarding while helping me increase my own life-balance.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, I currently live in Smyrna, so the Battery is definitely on the short-list to visit. Having the world-champion Atlanta Braves in-season means catching a game and taking in the entire Battery experience is likely going to be one of the first stops in the trip. The Smyrna/Vinings area is home to some of the best eateries in Atlanta, but I’d want to keep it local and probably recommend the fish tacos at The Corner Taqueria in downtown Smyrna. Next, my time at Emory University allowed me to really soak in the delightful atmosphere in the Decatur Square, so I would treat my guest to Sushi Avenue, or maybe even The Iberian Pig if we were more in the mood for tapas. After the meal it would be Brick Store Pub time to get some of the best beer selections in Atlanta. If the friend wanted some of the best authentic pizza in Atlanta, I would rush them to Sapori di Napoli Pizzeria in the Decatur Square, which has never let me down.
If my friends like to drink beer, then I would most definitely hit some of the best breweries in Atlanta (Orpheus, Monday Night, or Sweetwater, or maybe even take a visit to my Alma Mater in Athens for Terrapin or Creature Comforts.
I’d likely also take my friends to some live music, and take advantage of Shaky Knees Festival, Music Midtown, or a smaller venue like Center Stage or The Eastern for a fun atmosphere for live music.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people that have helped me along my path, such as professors, advisors, friends, and family. But I know that my journey could not have turned out so well if not for my life partner, Chandra. She absolutely carried me through graduate school; as I worked tirelessly to study, manage stress, and complete tasks, she was supportive both emotionally and (thankfully) financially. We worked together to navigate our lives within the context of graduate school, marriage, honeymoon, children, and dissertation, and in that process we also somehow moved 11 times in 10 years. She unselfishly left her dream job to move our family after I matched on my doctoral internship. She has been the literal picture of ideal partnership, and we have worked tirelessly to make our lives work within the chaos created in the instability of my career trajectory. She’s the most loving and nurturing mother, fun-loving partner, and absolute best friend (and nurse!), and I am immensely thankful to have her with me on the journey of life.

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