rayna vaught godfrey, phd
During the month between finishing my Master’s and starting my Ph.D. in counseling psychology at the University of Denver, I took a trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Surrounded by breathtaking nature, with three cameras in hand, I declared, “I change my mind. I want to be a wildlife photographer instead of a psychologist.”
Ultimately of course, I did not change my mind and went on to fulfill my dream of becoming a licensed psychologist in private practice.
Many of the skills I use in photography serve me well as a psychologist: Quiet observation. Keen attention to detail. Focus. Creativity. Visualizing the bigger picture. Experiencing life as it is, real and raw; beautiful and painful. Framing the shot just so, then reframing it to get a different perspective. Weaving all of the elements together to tell the story. Creating meaning. Being completely present in the moment.
But what I love about being a psychologist is that it also allows me to engage with others on a deep level; to connect with them, and to share in their lives - the joy and the sadness, the ordinary and the extraordinary. It is a true honor and privilege to walk alongside someone for part of their journey.
I started my practice in Denver, CO in 2003. I also taught at the University of Denver in the Master’s and doctoral programs in counseling psychology and at the Metropolitan State College of Denver in their undergraduate psychology department. Teaching these students remains one of my most meaningful and rewarding professional endeavors. In October of 2013, I closed my Colorado practice and moved to Florida. Originally from Indiana, I had always dreamed of living somewhere warm, near the ocean.
Spending time in nature replenishes me, whether it is walking on the beach, hiking in a state park, journaling under the palm trees in the backyard, or hanging out with elephants in Africa and Southeast Asia. I have been fortunate to be able to travel the globe and have amazing encounters with all manner of wildlife. [Elephants hold a special place in my heart. They grieve much the way humans do.]
Even more amazing has been meeting incredible people from all over who have expanded my understanding of the world, of others, and of myself. I hold a deep appreciation for how we are ultimately all connected at a fundamental level, our differences framed in a shot that reveals our individual worthiness within our shared humanity.
