I was excitedly awaiting the birth of my first baby, which I had been told would never happen. My husband and I had been through rounds of in vitro without success, and I had given up on the thought of ever becoming a mom. And then suddenly, the universe decided it was time. I was over the moon with joy; but, what about my career? What about the 20 years of experience I had gained working in social work and mental healthcare? How would I balance this and be successful at both my job and being a mother? I am quite sure this is the question all working moms ask themselves.
Building a Career in Social Work
I obtained my master’s degree in social work at age 26 and my LCSW in 2010 at age 30. I have navigated the ever-changing world of social work for over 20 years with experience in the juvenile justice system, community mental healthcare, and private industry. While my clientele has changed over the years, my desire to help others be their best selves is unwavering. Growing up with a mother who also had a career in social work, I had a solid understanding of how we can help others with their personal struggles and assist them in identifying their paths to success.
A New Chapter: Starting My Own Practice
Anticipating the birth of my daughter, I knew I needed to make a change in my professional life to accommodate the change in my personal life. I decided to move to private therapy and open my own practice. This was a daunting task, but I knew it would provide me the space to be present for my child and still maintain my career. I started with one small office, practicing therapy solo but enjoying the freedom of making my own schedule and balancing my home-work life. It did not take long to decide I wanted to expand my practice and provide a place for other women to have the same opportunities.
Empowering Women Through Paris Counseling
At this point, an amazing thing happened. Friends and colleagues started reaching out to me, asking to join my practice. Everything came together at the exact right time. Opening up my practice to other therapists empowered other women to have the best of both worlds. Paris Counseling became a sanctuary where professionals could work, help others, and maintain a healthy balance between their careers and their personal lives. Affording this opportunity to other women quickly became the mission of Paris Counseling.
The Challenges of Entrepreneurship
While the advantages of owning my own business are many, entrepreneurship still has its difficulties. My desire to grow the company and reach as many people as possible meant working hard, working efficiently, and putting in long hours. I had started my own practice so I could have more time with my new baby, and suddenly I found myself working endless hours each day, continuing to strive to meet my professional goals. New opportunities would present themselves, and I could not turn down anything that would grow my business and reach more people. Before I knew it, I had three podcasts, had published two self-help journals, and was publishing a monthly blog on our website. I had contracted 15 therapists, hired a clinical director, a professional relations manager, and an intern, who helped with the day-to-day operations. Women needed a space to meet their professional and personal goals more than I realized.
Lessons Learned and New Beginnings
Through this experience, I learned I was capable of so much more. I was able to work from home when I needed to, be an active parent, and still add more moving pieces to my growing practice. It was not easy, but with the right people around me and support from family and friends, it was doable. When schedules get complicated, I have learned that everything is “figureoutable.” With enough perseverance and a continued love for my clients, my employees, and myself, I have learned to be flexible but grounded in what I desire for my business.
Integrating Family and Business
My daughter Giuliana, now 6, was in kindergarten, and struggling with the transition into elementary school. Each day, she came home from school and we worked on coping skills to help her manage her emotions around her transition. She very intuitively asked how we could also help her friends manage these emotions, as she saw her classmates dealing with the same struggles. She asked if we could write a book, explaining coping skills and offering help to her classmates and their parents. I thought it was brilliant. I could not wait to get started. We enlisted the help of her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Hendricks, as we knew she could help us navigate the classroom aspects as we dealt with the emotional journey from the student/parent viewpoint. Together, we partnered to create a wonderful book series called “Going to Kindergarten with G.” This has been a fantastic way to connect my daughter with my business. Along with the book series, we have a podcast together called “Feeling Better with G.” These pieces have allowed me to add to my practice but include Giuliana in the process. We spend time together while creating new things for Paris Counseling. She has amazing ideas and tremendous insight into what children her age need to feel emotionally safe. It’s been such a blessing and a pleasure to watch her grow and develop a love for helping others. She keeps my love for helping others alive and fresh.
Empowerment and Self-Care: A Message to Women
Through this journey, I’ve learned that we humans do not give ourselves enough credit and we downplay our capabilities. Women have the ability to accomplish big things while still giving attention to the little things in life. We can build a business and volunteer in the classroom if we choose. We can go to the office and then go to the soccer game. I would tell all women to stop selling themselves short; figure out what you want from your life and take action. Let others support you along the way. When you come upon a roadblock, find a new route. It might be off the beaten path, but we can make our own way. We don’t have to do things just as they have always been done; let’s break down barriers and remain steadfast on our goals. Above all, take care of yourself along the way. The term self-care is cliché, but that does not mean the concept is less important. In order to be your best for whatever you are managing, you must take time to care for your own needs. This is a learned process that is different for everyone.
Conclusion: A Vision for the Future
At one point in my life, I thought I would never be a mom. I thought owning my own practice would be too difficult. I am so grateful to have found a way to manage both motherhood and my career, and I hope I can continue to help other women do the same. As women, let’s empower each other. Let’s create environments that foster positivity, encouragement, and success. I am so proud of my business, my colleagues, and my family. I don’t plan to stop here; there is still more work to do and more people to help. Make your vision your focus. When you are disciplined, there is no limit to what you can accomplish. Be confident, be bold, be true to yourself, and ignore negativity. As I say at the end of every podcast episode, Go forth, and live fearlessly authentic.
About Paris Counseling
Paris Counseling offers in-person as well as telehealth sessions for individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and couples counseling, and we offer therapy for all age groups. We focus on cognitive behavioral therapy practices and strive to create a safe, nonjudgmental and comfortable place for clients to explore their emotions and learn how to be their best selves. Paris Counseling offers three podcasts for three different age groups. “Effing Breathe” is geared toward adults, “Breathing Better” is geared towards tweens and teens, and “Feeling Better with G” is for kids 11 years old and younger. Our podcasts offer a space to spend five minutes quieting the mind and practicing coping skills. We have an adult journal, “I Am Present, A Journey to Self Awareness,” and a journal for children to complete with their parents, “We Are Present, Journey to Self Regulation.” We continue to add to our series, “Going to Kindergarten With G,” having published two books thus far as well as an accompanying journal for the series. You can find these on Amazon, or you can find all our products, services, and blog posts on our website, pariscounselingllc.org. For direct access to our books and journals, please visit Paris Publishing.
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