Therapist Spotlight: Margot Goralczyk

Quick answer: Margot Goralczyk is a counselor at Austin Mindfulness Center whose nurturing, mindfulness-based style helps clients connect with their inner voice, practice radical acceptance, and build a kinder relationship with themselves and others.

Choosing a therapist is easier when you know the person behind the title. In this spotlight, Margot shares—in her own words—why she became a counselor, the one skill she'd teach the world, and how mindfulness shows up in her sessions at Austin Mindfulness Center.

What made Margot decide to become a counselor?

A lifelong pull toward providing comfort and support—to family members, classmates, and even people she met in passing.

"I have seen people come to life when given the space to share and feel their feelings," Margot says, "and I have witnessed their internal shift as they've become more connected with themselves." She describes the therapeutic process with one word: beautiful. "It is beautiful watching someone grow and heal despite internal struggles and life challenges."

What skill would she teach the whole world?

Radical acceptance—the ability to reduce unnecessary suffering by accepting challenging circumstances we don't have the power to change.

Margot's favorite example: you take your car in for minor repairs and the bill comes back far higher than expected. It's okay to take a moment to be frustrated. But yelling and pounding your fists for hours won't change the fact that the car still needs fixing. "Using up precious energy to fight an inevitable circumstance is not worth it in the end." Radical acceptance is one of the core skills practiced in mindfulness-based therapy.

Has she been in counseling herself?

Yes—at different times in her life, and it shaped both who she is and how she practices.

Through her own therapy, Margot learned to tap into her inner resources, be less hard on herself, and extend grace to others by remembering that everyone is truly trying their best. "I also learned that I am a lot stronger and capable than I have sometimes given myself credit for. This self-knowledge has given me the strength to be a better therapist."

What book does she recommend to clients?

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed—a memoir of acceptance, grief, and learning to attune to your own thoughts and feelings.

Margot points to how the author, trapped in a cycle of numbing her pain instead of working through it, was challenged on the trail to live in the present moment, attend to her feelings, and leave conventional comforts behind—gaining confidence and pushing herself mentally, physically, and spiritually to new heights.

Who is Margot's ideal client?

Someone open to guidance in connecting with their inner voice and intuition—including people who find it hard to open up.

She's a natural fit for clients seeking a nurturing therapeutic style, who are willing to dig deep in sessions to peel back layers and get to the root of their issues, and who want to improve their relationship with themselves or with others. That work often happens in individual adult counseling.

How does she practice self-care?

By living a more balanced life—learning when to say "no," and filling her time with movement, creativity, and rest.

Margot walks local lakes and parks with her dog Poppy, practices yoga and deep breathing, runs and hikes new trails, doodles and journals, listens to audiobooks, and is learning to play the harp. Her reliable fallback for a good laugh: rewatching The Office.

How does mindfulness show up in her sessions?

Her biggest personal value is peace—and peace, she says, isn't achievable without mindfulness.

In sessions, Margot asks a lot of questions about how you're feeling in the moment. Most of us run on autopilot through full, busy lives; when you sit down in session, she likes to draw attention to the feelings and thoughts that got pushed aside, because those are exactly what the therapeutic process needs to attend to.

Getting to know Margot Goralczyk

Margot brings a nurturing style, a deep belief in radical acceptance, and a mindfulness-centered approach to every session—along with a favorite quote from Christopher McCandless: "Happiness is only real once shared."

Getting started. If Margot's approach resonates with you, our team can help you find the right fit. Learn more about mindfulness-based therapy at Austin Mindfulness Center.

Frequently asked questions

What is radical acceptance?

Radical acceptance is the skill of reducing unnecessary suffering by accepting challenging circumstances you don't have the power to change—so you stop spending precious energy fighting the inevitable.

What kind of therapist is a good fit if I have trouble opening up?

A nurturing, patient therapist like Margot can help. She enjoys supporting clients who find it hard to open up, working gently to peel back layers and get to the root of the issue.

Do therapists go to therapy themselves?

Many do. Margot has been in counseling at different points in her life and credits it with making her less hard on herself, more graceful with others, and a stronger therapist.

Get started with a therapist at Austin Mindfulness Center—in person in Austin or online across Texas.