I have never blogged before so why start now? Well, because I am starting my new counseling practice, The Oaks Counseling and Play Therapy, PLLC, and I hope blogging will be a great resource for the families I serve.
I chose to name my practice, The Oaks, for a number of reasons, but mostly because oak trees are just awesome! In this part of Texas, oak trees are highly valued. Oak trees are strong, they provide shelter and shade, they are beautiful, they can withstand storms, they make us think of permanence and solidarity, they are rooted. There's an incredible verse in scripture that references "the oaks of righteousness", after some studying, I have learned that this might be referring to the fact that we are better together, that we do best when we are with others because others can help us be and do better than we can on our own! It could also mean that we can become who we are meant to be, who God wants us to be when we are rooted in faith, which will produce a strong foundation just like the roots of a strong oak tree. No matter your beliefs, the fact that oak trees are strong and can withstand hard times (here in Texas that = drought) is not up for debate, so I think they're pretty awesome!
Why did I start The Oaks Counseling and Play Therapy, PLLC? My career has taken many paths that have led me to open my own practice. I have worked in a few agencies providing counseling services. I worked for Communities in Schools for three years, on a Junior High campus, and while I loved working in the school and with students, I found most of my time and resources went to inputting data and producing numbers/results for the non-profit to show it was worthy. That was NOT why I went into the counseling field. I left that job to begin working in a group practice. Ah, this was GREAT! I was able to have the flexibility that I longed for, and I was able to DO counseling the way it was intended. I now felt like I could get into the work of helping people be emotionally healthy! Somewhere along the way, I longed for the ability to grow professionally, and that is when the desire to open my own practice was born. I wasn't sure I could do it. I had many questions and many doubts! Could I run a business? How do you bill insurance? Can I afford to go out on my own? Do I want to be in charge of it all? Am I capable? Self-doubt is a common human experience. We all doubt ourselves at times. Growth can be hard. Change can be challenging, but here I go! I've jumped in with both feet!
If you're a client reading this, I thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey. If you've stumbled here and are reading this and want to know more about services we provide at The Oaks Counseling and Play Therapy, PLLC please reach out, I would love to hear from you.
Have topics you'd like me to blog about? Let me know!