Minds are her matter

Published 9:00 pm Sunday, July 16, 2006

As a psychotherapist, it’s Sheila Jalali’s job to ask the kind of questions that help people understand themselves better.

It’s a talent Jalali always had, but she took many years to decide to pursue it as a career.

Between graduating from college in 1986 and opening her private counseling practice in Mukilteo two years ago, Jalali worked a number of different jobs, none of which she felt was her true calling.

Eventually, she decided to go back to school and get her master’s degree in psychology so she could take up the career she’d always wanted.

“No matter what job I took, I always felt like I wasn’t utilizing my true abilities,” Jalali said. “(Going back to school) is what I always wanted to do but didn’t always have the confidence for. I think there was a point where I realized I was just going to get older not doing what I wanted, and it was worth trying and taking the risk.”

Now she’s moving into a larger office in her building so she can offer her patients group therapy and continue doing the work she loves.

“This is my passion and I believe in it,” she said. “I believe that people can improve their lives and therapy can help.”

Pay range: According to state salary surveys, marriage and family therapists in Washington earn a median salary of about $40,000 a year. Jalali said counselors with private practices usually make about $45,000 a year.

Hours: Flexible. Jalali said she generally works anytime between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., with some evenings and weekends depending on client needs.

Three things she loves about her job: “One of the things I love is just seeing the way people develop and how much their lives improve. It’s so interesting to see how they change and heal. It’s always amazing to think I have a hand in that.

“It’s really challenging. It takes all my training and experience and intelligence to do this work, and I enjoy that.

“You can do this work until you’re too old to remember the way to your office. Therapists just get better at what they do with age.”

Career path: After earning her bachelor’s degree in sociocultural anthropology from the University of Washington, Jalali began working at an advertising agency. She went on to work a string of different jobs, including barista, clothing store manager, veterinary technician and library page. Eventually she decided to go back to school to earn her master’s degree in psychology, finding employment at Northwest Youth Services and Compass Health while working to establish her private practice.

“I thought I was going to study tribes in the Africa bush, and I went a completely different direction,” Jalali said. “I truly believe that all those years of struggling make me a better therapist because I understand how hard it is to make one’s way in this world and find your passion.”

Where she’ll go from here: She’s moving into a larger office that will allow her to hold group therapy sessions for people with depression and eating disorders, as well as workshops for couples who want to improve their communication skills. Ultimately, she just wants to keep helping people through their problems, she said.

Hometown: Seattle.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in sociocultural anthropology from the University of Washington; master’s degree in psychology from Seattle University.

Family: Her husband, Dr. Amir Jalali, is a spine specialist at the Everett Clinic. They have two pets: Jake, a 41/2-pound Chihuahua, and Mac, a 14-pound cat who thinks he’s a mountain lion, she said.

Guilty pleasure: “Buying ceramic pots for my nasty gardening habit and Baskin-Robbins chocolate ice cream.”

Why plays her in the movie of her life? “It would have to be someone quirky who can be funny and silly and still pull off a serious role: Minnie Driver.”