Meet Ellen Sawyer | Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellen Sawyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellen, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
A few years ago I heard someone say that Work Life Balance isn’t real. The term we should use instead is Work Life Harmony. Harmony implies that both parts of your life are getting what they need, which is rarely equal and balanced. Sometimes work needs more and your home life is able to be second. Sometimes your home life erupts and your job is able to take a step back. Whichever way it goes, home and work need to work together rather than strive for an unattainable balance. After processing this concept (which I have paraphrased), I really started to see the demands on my time differently. Right now, I am in a season where my kids and their sporting events are taking so much of my time that I feel like I am squeezing in my job to whichever minute it fits in. It’s really affirming for me to remember that this is one season, and my work is getting done. My job is fine not being the priority in this moment. Earlier this year when we had some unexpected hurdles at work, my family gave me the same grace to work lots of hours and handle the twists and turns of that season. But because both are getting what they need when they need it most, it works well together. This is a newer practice for me and has relieved an immense amount of feeling like I am failing. Harmony creates something beautiful in way that balance never did for me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I love being in leadership. Even when I try not to be, I often find myself in leadership roles. Something I hold dear about my particular role as Executive Director of Comprehensive Therapy Center (CTC) is that I have loved this agency since I was a teenager. I had an internship here and worked for the summer program while in college. During college I got a little lost and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. A number of years later I was offered a job as Administrative Associate, answering the phones and cleaning the office just two days per week. I knew then that my goal was a leadership role within CTC and dedicated my time to learning all that I could from the people around me. The benefit I have now, is that I have worked in the trenches. I know firsthand what made this organization special and have worked to continue a work environment that allows my employees to be people first, and CTC employees second. Moving from Admin Associate to Director of Operations to Associate Director, and eventually, Executive Director always felt like a natural progression. It gave me time to really learn each role, make my mistakes, celebrate my wins, and then take on what was next for me. At each phase I have take values into the next role that have hopefully made me the kind of leader that people really want to work for. I had that gift when I was first hired here. It is my goal to continue to give that gift well into the future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Haha, this is a hard question because I don’t get out much! However, I love the Mitten Brewing Company. Their pizza is the best in town and I love the laid back environment. I would also make sure that my friends got to see the river from the Blue Bridge. That is the absolute best view of the city. In the summer, I would definitely recommend a WhiteCaps game. I have always been more about people than places or food. So I think it wouldn’t really matter where we were or what we were doing as long as we were doing it together.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are many people who have supported me through my life goals, but it is extremely clear to me that I would not be where I am without my husband. He is a true partner is all that we do. He cooks! He drives the kids around and attends school events. He is also very much a safe place for me to vent frustration, laugh about the ridiculous things happening around me, seek encouragement, and truth told in love. Every single time I think I have reached the end of what I can do, he reminds me that there is so much more. And, when there are big wins to celebrate, he is the first person in my cheering section.

Website: https://www.therapycenter.org

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-sawyer-494826243/