Welcome to another enlightening episode of the "Not Your Typical Psychotherapist Podcast," where unconventional perspectives and insightful conversations take center stage. With your host, Ernesto who's thrilled to be joined by the multi-talented Elana Christiansen, a therapist, travel agent, and dedicated leader of women over 40 groups. In this captivating episode titled "Travel is Just Incredible," they delve into the transformative power of travel, exploring how it intertwines with personal growth, mental well-being, and the unique experiences that come with navigating life's journeys after 40. Get ready to expand your horizons and gain fresh insights into the intersections of therapy, travel, and self-discovery to see why Elana is Not Your Typical Psychotherapist!

Blue Raven Travel Co https://blueraventravelco.com/

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00:00

Ernesto: Yeah. Hello. Hello. How are you?

Elana: I'm so good. It's very nice to see you.

Ernesto: You too. You too. So I I get it that you're traveling a lot now?

Elana: You know, trying easing back into it, right, after the last couple of years. And I just got back from Costa Rica. So .

Ernesto: -- Wow--

Elana: which is really nice, really beautiful.

Ernesto: We are the Costa Rica enterprise. Right?

Elana: I know. Right.

Ernesto: We're just gonna go ahead and record it without editing. That's how I do it.

[Music Intro]

Ernesto: Hi, everybody. This is Ernesto, the host for Not Your typical Psychotherapist Podcast. I have my friend, a lot of here because she was she is helping me out with travel with the cruise for Santorini, for all of that stuff.But I wanted to have her on because one, I wanna introduce you to her and what she does to help the mental health community and anyone who want to travel. And she has this this isn't really unique actually. She is not only a therapist, but she's also a travel agent. She will help you with travel.

Elana: Thank you. Yes. Hi, everybody. Elana Christiansen here. I'm the owner of Blue Raven Travel.So yes, psychotherapist for many years. And then transitioned into owning my own travel agency, which has been quite I just think it's been a whirlwind. I thought I was gonna be doing something easier that. I know this. Yeah.But it's yeah. It's it's been fun and challenging. And for all, you know, like, the the great reasons that that someone has starting a new business.

Ernesto: Of course, absolutely. I mean, it's always that. So you know, it's so not typical. Yeah. Therapist, travel agent, what happened?

Elana: My population was really challenging. They were chronically suicidal, lots of DID. And you know, to be honest, I started to feel just the sadness in my heart.

Ernesto: Mhmm.

Elana: And just, you know, no matter how much therapy I did, I I couldn't shake it. And so I transition to neurofeedback, which by the way is an incredible modality. I just highly want to recommend neurofeedback for everybody.

Ernesto: Awesome.

Elana: And when, you know, March twenty twenty came and my husband and I closed our clinic in Woodland Hills. He's a psychologist. And we went home, worked from home, and I was like, well, if I didn't do this anymore, what else would it be? And so, three things I love, learning new things, meeting new people, and traveling.

Ernesto: And you combined it. Yeah. You're certainly learning a lot from the places that you go to. You're meeting a lot of different people when you go there.

Elana: Yeah. Absolutely.

Ernesto: You're traveling.

Elana: Exactly. And it's it's interesting because even though so I'm I'm not really seeing clients, you know, like a face to face, in the traditional therapy sense, a lot of women come to me who've never been out of the country before or they're divorced. Or a therapist who don't really get a chance to vacation much. And so and and I'll take them on groups. And so in a way, like my work hasn't changed that much.I'm still supporting people like living fuller lives But we're doing it in Iceland, you know, or Italy.

Ernesto: That is just That's the lifestyle, you know. I mean, you know, you can you can do all this work. But after a while, when you decide to travel, that is it really feeds the spirit. Right? So tell us your experience about the places that you've been to, the things that you've done that really elevated your spirit.

Elana: Yes. No, it really does feed the spirit. When I went to Iceland last year, it was one of the most profound experiences I've ever had. It's a gorgeous country. I knew it was gonna be beautiful, but I never expected for it to move me the way that I did.And, like, as soon as we landed, got off the plane, I felt like I was home.

Ernesto: Mhmm.

Elana: And and I said to my husband, like, we need to buy a house here. He's like, alright. You say that everywhere. I'm like, no. No.But I I can hear it. Yeah. In Iceland, and just the the waterfalls, the energy of the country -- Mhmm.

Ernesto: --

Elana: the beautiful landscapes, their hills, their their lava fields, that people are amazing.

Ernesto: Wow.

Elana: It's just an incredible magical place.

Ernesto: Wow. Okay. So, note to self. Head to Iceland.

Elana: Yes. And you don't like cold weather. Right? No.

Ernesto: Well, you know, what No. I don't.

Elana: Summer. And this summer would be a good time for you.

Ernesto: Awesome. But, you know, even if it's cold well, okay. I'm gonna probably eat my words here. You know you know, just be in a in in a different place.

Elana: Yeah.

Ernesto: Right? Different place really takes you out of that place where you're uncomfortable. You're just exploring. You're just trying to understand. So it really takes you away from that uncomfortability.And just in that mode of exploration and adventure, I think.

Elana: I think you're right. I think that's true for me, but I also think that travel can make people uncomfortable, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Alright? It's good. Right?Because that's how we learn and we grow. And I mean, obviously, right, like, you know, being in Italy and having to figure out Tuscany and all of that, we're meeting new people. And -- Right.

Ernesto: --

Elana: it's almost like travel is for lack of a better terms, like an empathy expander.

Ernesto: That's right.

Elana: Right? Like, my perspective grows I learn so much and I can connect with people. Even though we don't speak the same language, I can still communicate with people, and I think that's incredible.

Ernesto: Yeah. And you know what I noticed. We Americans are really spoiled. We can we can we can walk into a restaurant, we can walk into Starbucks, and use a restroom. But when you go to Italy for instance -- Uh-huh.-- you know, it's a hit and miss at times -- Yeah. -- because sometimes you have to pay or not. Some places in Europe, or some places don't have the toilet seat.

Elana: Right. Or toilet paper. Or toilet paper. Right. Very true.Yeah. It's very true. In Costa Rica and other parts of the world, obviously, some parts of the world, you can't flush the toilet paper. Right? So in some parts of Greece.We were in Greece for a long time. And, yeah, you got in and so someone's changing your your trash can, like, every day.

Ernesto: It's Interesting.

Elana: Yeah. It's very interesting. Thing.

Ernesto: Right. And so yeah. So I I warn people when you go to, you know, places like Italy. First of all, I tell them, don't pack a lot of things. Don't have, like, these luggages that are just huge.But, of course, you know, they still

Elana: do it. Right.

Ernesto: And injuries happen. People fall. There's no elevators at times. There's no stairs that And you have to go from one train to another train and, oh, my god, miss.

Elana: That's right. So you wanna pack light, be able to move quickly, And those roller bags on cobblestones, it's just really it's tough. Right. I usually I have a large backpack that I put everything in and carry on only. And sometimes the elevators are really tiny too.Right? We are spoiled. Everything here is so big and it's so easy and it's so convenient. Right. Yes.And then and then I'm climbing five flights to go to my -- Oh, my my brain. -- that

Ernesto: is so true. It is one of the most eye opening experience, I think, for me to realize that this is a life that many folks live. You know, that's that's what they have. That's what they have in store for their lives. And it's just really interesting to kinda see that.

Elana: It really is. In Costa Rica, we we took a boat across the lake, and the boat could not dock near the shuttle van, and there is no paved road. So everyone's getting off the boat, and we had to carry our own luggage up a sandy hill. And the folks with rollerbags really struggling. So everyone's like pitching in, you know, helping to get all the bags.There there are no paved roads in some places, you know. And so so this I think this is actually really great that we're talking about this because traveling is not always easy.

Ernesto: Mhmm.

Elana: And having a flexibility and consciousness, flexibility and attitude being able to go with the flow. If we ever start thinking it shouldn't be this way, Right? Then we can start then you're not gonna have a you're not gonna have a fun trip.

Ernesto: Mhmm.

Elana: Right? It's it's it really puts you in a place surrender and accepting

Ernesto: -- Yeah. --

Elana: and going with it.

Ernesto: I I like that word surrender and accepting, you know, because I think many of us who have not traveled and well, I've traveled, but many of you folks have if you haven't traveled internationally, it will stretch you to a degree where you're open to a whole new possibility out there. And traveling is not that easy for those of you who've been to places like London Heathrow you know, the train stations. They and Europe got the they got the travel trains down. I love traveling by train but you kinda have to know the place pretty well. Right?

Elana: Yeah. Yeah. It is to making sure you're on the right platform. But you know what? Like, people are so nice too.

Ernesto: You know,

Elana: you can ask for help and people are so nice in Amsterdam. I asked some guy he was waiting in line for lunch. He worked at the at a train station. And I was asking him in, like, the best I could, like, how do I find this platform? He got out of line and he took us there.You know, it's just yeah. Like, and you meet really great people too.

Ernesto: Yeah. And the really cool thing is I use Google translator.

Elana: Yeah. So so so I didn't have it back then. That's what I was gonna do. Or if I did, it wasn't, like, something on my radar. Right?Right. Yeah.

Ernesto: But now we do. So for all of you traveling from here on out, I I used Google the whole time. A Google translator in Italy, and that worked so well for me, you know, and it was just a really good way to communicate big time. So that was fun.

Elana: Yeah. Absolutely. And I would also invite people if they're going to go to another country, learn just if few key phrases or words in that language because it'll go a long way.

Ernesto: And they appreciate that.

Elana: They don't really do.

Ernesto: You know, it's like you're trying, like, many of the foreigners who come here in the United States, they're they're trying their bestest the language, and we should do the same thing.

Elana: That's

Ernesto: right. So, you know, when you travel, and the reason why we're talking about this is there there's an explosion of travelers out there. Right? They're saying that the travel industry is now back even stronger than ever were in the pandemic.

Elana: Record numbers. Record numbers. In the travel industry, everyone's talking about record numbers for this year and next share it. It's absolutely insane.

Ernesto: It's so much fun. Yeah. So we've got a few for next we got the sensorini next year, which Alana really helped out and setting that up because, oh my goodness, I cannot even imagine setting all of this up and you you got it done down to a path. I mean, how did you get to this point?

Elana: Thank you. I appreciate that. You know, it's it really training. Right. If I have questions, I know who to ask.I've made connections. It's meeting a travel agent and building a travel agency is not that different from building a private this as a therapist. Mhmm. In the sense of, like, work, we connect with people, we do networking, we learn from each other, and we support each other. The same way in the travel industry.It's actually a very small you know, once you start recognizing people, then yeah, everyone's just so happy to help. So a huge cruise like this. It's a lot of work, but Look, I'll be honest. It doesn't feel like work. It's it's a lot of fun for me.

Ernesto: Well, I love that you're having fun with it because I get stress out just even the logistics of all this stuff. We're gonna go on a on a cruise Santorini , the notch typical psychotherapist, Santorini cruise, and it's gonna be a lot of fun out there. Yeah. And tell us a little bit more about what we can expect because you've been to all of these bases.

Elana: I've been to Greece have not been to make a nose, so we're going to make a nose, which is great, have not been to Naples yet in Italy. I'm really looking forward to that, maybe a pizza class or something.

Ernesto: Mhmm.

Elana: Yeah. And I think the other places oh, haven't been to Turkey yet, so that's on our itinerary as well. We'll start in Rome, classic, beautiful, Rome. I'm just gonna be gorgeous. And then Santa Rainey.Right? Like, what a what an amazing saying

Ernesto: What? Santorini... That that's all you need. Yeah. Right?It's I've been watching YouTube videos of Santorini, and I'm just like, This was this was like an outdoor, beautiful structured museum.

Elana: Yeah. Really? Yes. Is. It's quite incredible.Yeah. And we we spent a week of, like, on the water and center me, my husband and I with another couple. We have a couple that we travel with quite often. And it's really natural life.

Ernesto: So tell us a little bit about your travel business. Love to learn about this a little bit more.

Elana: Yeah. It's interesting when I started I really started I thought I was gonna focus in another area, but it's really morphed into groups and some women's groups as well. I've got a women's Facebook group that seems to be growing just on its own. It's incredible. I think there there's this need for, like, women who are over forty, and they've been taking care of everyone else in their life.And now Now it's starting.

Ernesto: It's starting.

Elana: Right. Yeah. Yeah. So that's been fun too. And you know what?Like, that's me. I'm over forty. So that's great. I I definitely can identify. Let's see.And groups. So groups and retreats. You know, actually because of you, and and thank you so much. I get quite a few therapists asking me, like, how can I hold my own retreat? And I in Costa Rica, I was at this hotels like, oh, this is a great place for a retreat.The pool was gorgeous. The restaurant is reasonable and the food was good. And they have a shuttle into town, and so that's kind of fun.

Ernesto: Wow. Yeah. You think so. Really big. So are you

Elana: the husband? I've been thinking about Hey,

Ernesto: you heard it here first. I see it. I I I'm just gonna go ahead and manifest that for you.

Elana: Thank you. Yes. I love that. I love that. I said to my I said, my husband, we were in the pool, and it's this infinity pool,

Ernesto: and it's overreaching

Elana: the ocean. It was like, Oh, yes. I'm definitely coming back here. I was like, how about a treat? He's like, whoa.I'm like, no, seriously. Like, I could probably get some groups space here and they have a little conference room.

Ernesto: Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely can. Yeah. I mean, yeah, retreats are such a thing right now, and we need a there's a lot of good options.And you know, I I wanna be able to have a whole page of all of these retreats happening throughout the year. And, you know, it's everybody wants to go to all the retreats. Right? But it's good to have these options for you.

Elana: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It really is. And all inclusive too, I've never been to an all inclusive, and I'm I a lot of people are coming to me to book them groups.And that's a great place for a retreat too because everything is right there. It's very self contained, and some of them are gorgeous.

Ernesto: Oh my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. And that's just the the feeding of the spirit and the soul. Right?

Elana: That's right.

Ernesto: That's that's what we look for. We look for that experience.

Elana: That's right. Absolutely. And for therapists, like, helping with burnout. Mhmm. Right?Like, how many entrepreneurs do you know that work hard, take care of other people, and then put themselves, like, on the back burner?

Ernesto: Right.

Elana: Right? And so I have this business mentor, George Cow. And I love what he does and I've started to incorporate this in my schedule is for the year, he first books his self care. That's what he does first. So he'll lock off weeks chunks of time for him, and then he'll work around it.And I think as a therapy community, we could certainly I

Ernesto: can't remember that. Absolutely. We can.

Elana: Yeah. Yeah. Because if if I, like, am not taking care of myself, how can I help take care of you?

Ernesto: That's absolutely right. That's absolutely right. So good on you that you have developed this not only the community, but this business to help other therapists to do their own retreats and also book these their cruises because, you know, we're some of the most burned out people out there, professionals out there. Right? So we just need to get out there and just have fun.

Elana: Yep. Absolutely. Therapists are talented. Skilled. Mhmm.Love to help. Right? And they're doing such good work in the world.

Ernesto: Absolutely are.

Elana: And yeah. So I mean, absolutely need to take care of themselves too.

Ernesto: Oh my goodness for real. Well, how can people get a hold of you?

Elana: To my website, it's blue raven travel code dot com. I'm also on Facebook. My women's group, if anyone wants to join that for women over forty, you know, It's there are a couple of them, but if you Google my name with the group, with, like, women over forty travel, you'll probably find. Okay. Well, I

Ernesto: I will have it on the link. In the show notes. Yeah.

Elana: Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. I mean and obviously, like, you know this, travel is just It's just incredible.

Ernesto: Mhmm. Mhmm. Yeah. It takes you away from the day to day mundane things that you have to do. Don't get me wrong.I I love doing businesses. But at the same time, you just need to get away from things, you know, so I feel that's good.

Elana: Absolutely. Right? You can just get disconnect. And Quite honestly, it's one of the best things about being on a cruise ship. It's being out there where you really don't have cell reception.

Ernesto: You love it.

Elana: A lot of people won't pay for Internet and so you're just on the water and it's apps that's so peaceful.

Ernesto: I love that. I love that. Well, for those of you who are listening, I know that many of you who who love to listen to this type of podcast, also dream about traveling. Right? And so, as long as you're gonna be here to help you, to to provide you with all the options, because you got to be traveling.And this is a self care piece that you deserve.

Elana: Yeah. And it doesn't have to be big. Right? Like, it doesn't have to be huge European exploration. It could be really simple and affordable.

Ernesto: Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for being on my friend.

Elana: Thank you. It's my pleasure. I I'm honored.

Ernesto: Yep. So again, everyone, this is Ernesto, Not Your Typical Psychotherapist Podcast. I try to bring you as many professionals within the world mention health to give you a lot of value and to think outside of the box and to color outside of the lines that we have to just be ourselves out there. So Hopefully, you can find a community within the community of Not Your Typical Psychotherapists. And again, thank you for listening.Bye Now