When I sat down with Zulma Williams—known to many as “The Swearing Therapist”—I expected grit. What I didn’t expect was the level of clarity, unapologetic honesty, and infectious humor she brought to the conversation. Zulma doesn’t present healing as something tidy or scripted. She presents it as it is: raw, inconvenient, courageous, and unshakably personal.
Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Zulma’s early life was marked by both familial love and cultural limitations. She grew up navigating economic challenges and the absence of her father, who left after divorce laws changed in Argentina. It wasn’t until her 30s that she acted on a dream seeded in adolescence—to move to the U.S. with nothing but a suitcase and a willingness to start over. When her cousin died unexpectedly, she took it as the wake-up call she hadn’t known she was waiting for. “When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose,” she told me. So, she left.
Healing Is Not a Hashtag—It’s Discipline
There’s a cultural fascination with “transformation” that often oversimplifies the work behind it. Zulma dismantles that fantasy. Her journey through language barriers, cross-continental moves, and economic hardships paints a very different picture. She didn’t wait for inspiration to strike. She enrolled in English classes. She adapted. She moved through discomfort instead of trying to avoid it.
Later, at age 46, she faced another life-altering challenge: breast cancer. “Why me?” was her first reaction—but she pivoted. “Why not me?” she said, redirecting her focus not toward blame or despair, but responsibility and purpose. That shift wasn’t magical—it was intentional.
When we discussed motivation, Zulma was blunt: “Motivation is overrated. You’ve been doing hard shit without motivation your entire life. That’s called discipline.” I nodded because it’s true. You show up for others—your boss, your kids, your responsibilities—even when you’re exhausted. Healing, according to Zulma, demands the same kind of commitment.
Therapy Isn’t a Fix—It’s a Mirror
Zulma later pursued her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work, completing her degree in her 50s. She opened her own practice, Dragonfly Therapy Services, a name symbolizing change that comes from within. Her approach is refreshingly direct and stripped of pretense. “I’m not here to fix you,” she says. “I’ll show you the tools, but you’re the one who has to swing the damn hammer.”
Her sessions are laced with humor, unfiltered language, and hard truths. She’s not for everyone, and she’s unapologetic about it. “If my style doesn’t work for you, I’ll give you three referrals. No hard feelings. My job is to help you get better, not to be your favorite.”
What stood out most was her use of Accelerated Resolution Therapy—a technique involving eye movement to help clients neutralize their emotional reactions to traumatic memories. It doesn’t erase the memory but helps the nervous system detach from its grip. It’s subtle, science-backed, and extremely effective for people stuck in cycles of anxiety or trauma response.
You Don’t Need Permission to Start Over
Zulma’s story isn’t about perfection. It’s about pursuit. Pursuit of clarity, of courage, of freedom. Whether she’s helping clients who’ve survived sexual abuse, car accidents, or emotional neglect, she’s focused on one mission: restoring agency.
“You’re still the CEO of your life,” she said during our talk. “You don’t have to be defined by what happened to you.”
As someone deeply committed to helping others tell their stories, I walked away reminded of this: authenticity isn’t loud—it’s unshakable. Zulma doesn’t offer platitudes. She offers perspective. Not everyone will resonate with her style, but no one can walk away from her without feeling a bit more equipped to face their own life head-on.
And that’s the work: showing up, whether it’s glamorous or not.
Keep walking, Stephanie
Inspired by this episode? Visit WalkWithMeConversations.com to explore more powerful stories, access healing resources, and connect with therapists like Zulma who are redefining what support really looks like.
👉 One story can change your path. Let this be one of them.
