Meet Allison Duquette | Psychotherapist

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

Hi Allison, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
Who I am today came from a long journey of self-discovery and some impulsivity, however, through it all a common thread has existed.

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, not far from O’Hare airport. My mom began working for United Airlines at their headquarters in 1989, which allowed me an opportunity to travel all over the world before I graduated from high school. I moved to Arizona to attend ASU and majored in French. My dream job was to become a flight attendant and use my language skills to be a translator on board. Post-911 was a difficult time to find a job in the aviation industry, but at age 23 I began working for a small airline in Washington DC and transitioned to Continental Airlines the following year. I worked as a flight attendant for 13 years, working through a global recession and a merger with United Airlines.

As a flight attendant, I had the amazing opportunity to meet and connect with all types of people and have some life-changing experiences, including meeting my spouse. Aviation became a part of my identity, however, there were other parts that hadn’t yet been realized. I had considered going on in my education to become a therapist prior to becoming a flight attendant since no major airlines were hiring at the time I graduated. It was something I continue to think about on and off, but never found the courage to do.

One day, a dear friend from Continental disclosed to me he was diagnosed with HIV and I was the first person he was opening up to. That moment solidified the power of vulnerability and honor of being the person to provide emotional safety. At that moment, everything clicked and I made an impulsive decision to go back to school to become a therapist with a specialty within the HIV community. While in school, I began volunteering with One N Ten, which allowed me to connect deeper into the LGBTQ+ community in Phoenix

My first job as a therapist was with Phoenix Shanti Group, a non-profit agency that offered care to individuals diagnosed with HIV and co-occurring Substance Use Disorders, many of whom experienced complex trauma as well. That experience shaped my therapeutic lens to be more humanistic in nature, and less focused on pathology. While I will forever be grateful for that experience, I left (again, somewhat impulsively) to pursue my own practice.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Becoming a therapist as a second career made me more aware of what is important and how I wanted to use my time and energy. Today I have my own solo practice and specialize in complex trauma, LGBTQ+ affirming care, and aviation professionals. Because aviation was such a huge part of my identity, carving out a niche in that industry allows me to continue to feel connected to who I once was.

I have spoken numerous times for the National Gay Pilots Association, United Airlines, and the Association of Flight Attendants. I am a fierce advocate for both the LGBTQ+ community and Flight Crew Mental Health. There is still a lot of reform that has to happen, as pilots currently are restricted when seeking mental health care. I am a member of the Aerospace Medical Association and the Pilot Mental Health Campaign. However, my greatest honor is being on the board of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI Valley of the Sun), which provides resources, advocacy, and free peer-to-peer services to members of our community.

The biggest lesson I have learned along the way is to trust my instinct and stay true to what matters to me. I often am surprised when thinking about where I started and how I ended up here, but most of the opportunities I have come down to my passion and connecting with others on a human level.

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?
Phoenix has changed significantly over the last few years, and I still enjoy discovering new places. When someone visits from out of town, some of my favorite tourist sites include the South Mountain lookout point, Desert Botanical Gardens with a lunch at Gertrude’s, and a stop at the Hall of Flame Museum, the largest fire museum in the world. To eat, I would take them to Gallo Blanco for Mexican food, Hana Japanese Eatery for amazing sushi, and Kai for an elegant taste of the
Southwest and Native American Cuisine.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give a shoutout to my friends and family, who have tirelessly listened to my passionate pleas around pilot mental health reform and my love of talking about trauma. I owe my depth of understanding within the trans community to my mentor and friend, Dr. Mischa Cohen Peck. Thank you to One N Ten and Aunt Rita’s for all of the love and support given to the LGBTQ+ community, you make us stronger. I would like to honor the work that NAMI has done to destigmatize mental illness and provide free community support groups. Most of all, I want to give a shoutout to my spouse, who throughout this process of self-discovery and career development, has endlessly stood by my side as my biggest supporter.

Website: https://www.arenetherapy.com