Digital Leadership Through Quiet Presence

For my digital mentor assignment, I wanted to choose someone who worked in the mental health field. Specifically, I wanted someone who specialized in my specific interests within psychology, and who displayed an interesting and genuine online presence. After some research, I ended up finding Dr. Arielle Shwartz, a clinical psychologist who specializes in complex PTSD, nervous system healing, and somatic psychology, all of which are topics that I’m incredibly interested in and have personal experience in following for the healing of myself and others.

After analyzing her Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts, I feel like I have cultivated an understanding of Dr. Shwartz’s digital presence. Dr. Shwartz’s LinkedIn is where her credentials can be found, it informs us that she has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Fielding University and a Masters in Somatic Psychology from Naropa University. Additionally, she maintains a license in EMDR and is a certified yoga instructor, which are healing methods that incorporate both mind and body. Mind-body healing is another topic that has always deeply interested me, and Dr. Shwartz’s extensive credentials stand out as a valuable resource in holistic recovery. On Dr. Shwartz’s Facebook and Instagram, she displays a peaceful digital presence. She regularly shares photos from her home in Boulder, Colorado along with practical health tips and grounding techniques to soothe anxiety and stress. Some seem like they’re for educational or promotional purposes, others feel like they’re more personal or like Dr. Schwartz is just sharing a photo for the sake of joy or beauty. I enjoyed seeing someone who was so down-to-earth, and who seemed to share content for the sake of inspiration and connection.

To me, Dr. Shwartz demonstrates beautiful digital leadership as she quietly but confidently leads with emotional intelligence, awareness, and a clear passion for what she does. Dr. Shwartz has leaned into her niche of psychology where she maintains a clear sense of knowledge and she does an excellent job of communicating that to her audience as soon as they enter her digital space. Filled with nature, healing practice, and trauma guidance, Dr. Shwartz paints her page with confidence that doesn’t boast and maintains a clear respect for her followers. To me, this is an excellent display of digital leadership. Dr. Shwartz has taken her years of training and turned it into an online platform where she can share what she’s learned with others. She went to school and cultivated her knowledge and credentials, then made a space where she could share with others and guide them in the work she does today, like EMDR, nervous system healing, and somatic yoga.

Before reviewing her social media, I was hesitant about Dr. Shwartz. I believed she may just be another holistic influencer who would push content for the sake of likes and followers. However, after spending time on her social media pages, I found her to be very down-to-earth and motivating. I didn’t get the impression that Dr. Shwartz posts for the sake of gaining likes and a follower count, rather, her content felt honest, peaceful, and genuinely healing. One thing I especially appreciated was how much she focused on being present. For example, I loved the small reels she made of a still lake or a quiet mountain scene. These weren’t exactly promotional moments on her page, but they felt like they were a pause. Dr. Shwartz felt like she just remained true to herself and appreciated the quiet moments, and that’s something I could see myself applying to my own digital presence.

I think this activity was interesting because it prompted me to look critically at influencers online through the lens of digital leadership. I often find myself looking at influence by comparing a follower count or number of likes, but I’ve been encouraged to pay attention to the integrity and qualities of what someone displays online, things that truly matter in digital leadership. Moving forward, I’d like to be the kind of digital leader that Dr. Shwartz is, quietly and kindly sharing on my platform, maintaining presence, peace, and healing through my online presence. Hopefully, I will continue to grow and can emulate those same qualities.