Happy 5th Birthday Virago! An Interview with founder Nikki Yardy

How long have you been in the mental health field, and what were you doing professionally before founding Virago?

I started in the mental health field working in a restorative justice based wilderness program for adjudicated youth in 2009. It was working with the teens in the program that really solidified my passion for working with people who’ve experienced trauma. I worked with teens for years in community mental health and school based settings. Through this work I began to notice the rates of trauma for girls and women was significantly higher and that interpersonal trauma in particular required a different therapeutic approach. I have always been drawn to the experiences of others and being a person in recovery from Complex PTSD myself, I know what it’s like to struggle with things from your past. I became very curious about how to support people in moving forward and healing which ultimately led to becoming a therapist. I can’t imagine doing anything else now!

What led you to opening your own practice?

It started as a side gig to earn a little extra money as I worked for a nonprofit. I had begun working as a program manager in a community mental health agency, increasing access to care in the community which I loved and having my own practice was surprisingly satisfying, like putting together a puzzle. After a few years it felt like the right time to make the transition to full time.

How did Virago grow into the group practice it is now?

There were two pieces to the shift from solo to group practice. I had been an internship supervisor in the past and a former mentor at the University of Southern Maine, where I graduated, encouraged me to continue this work. After a few students requested to work with me, I saw the opportunity to continue increasing my impact in the community both by increasing access to care for clients and by creating learning opportunities for new clinicians. These are two things that have always been important to me. One therapist can only make so much of an impact but training new therapists to be excellent clinicians and pursue work they feel passionate about will only benefit the clients they ultimately work with.

What’s the significance of the name "Virago", and what inspired you to choose it for your practice?

I really wanted a name that spoke to the focus on women in particular. I started researching words and terms and when I came across the definition of virago: an unruly woman or female warrior, I thought that was perfect. The nature of going to therapy is to create change, reject the status quo and do something different. If we are doing our jobs right as therapists, our clients feel empowered and capable. I thought the term Virago reflected that perfectly.

What motivated you to specialize in women’s mental health?

Like many women, it’s always seemed like healthcare has not been catered to our unique needs. I noticed that the women I worked with responded really well when we addressed their specific experiences. This mostly came about from working with women who’ve experienced trauma. Women experience much higher rates of PTSD and have higher rates of interpersonal trauma. They also struggle to recover from trauma due to multiple roles such as having to care for others and struggling to care for themselves. The women I worked with felt very validated when we named these real aspects of their experiences.

What has been the most rewarding part of opening Virago?

Seeing how many women in the community are positively impacted by the work we do. The Virago Team now sees anywhere from 100-125 clients a week! Knowing that many women in our community are receiving care from therapists who genuinely care about their well being is so satisfying.

What are some of your future goals and visions for Virago?

To increase our impact in our community. Virago’s Mission is to bring more mental health support to more women and finding low cost, low barrier ways to access mental health care is one of our goals. To increase awareness of mental health issues like trauma and PTSD is another goal. And of course to continue to serve the needs of women in our community!