Today we’d like to introduce you to Russell Baxter.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Well, to start out I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor. I focus mostly on anxiety disorders, couples, and helping young adults overcome their struggle to launch.
My journey into counseling started my senior year as I decided that the degree I had spent 4 years pursuing was actually not what I wanted to use. After calling an academic audible, I switched to counseling in an effort to help people and eventually be my own boss. I got a majority of my initial clinical experience working within the hospital setting and eventually, in 2015, moved into the private practice arena. Private practice was an incredible crucible that pushed me to face my fears of failure and see what I was really capable of accomplishing.
In 2018 I published my first book on marriage and money called “Sharing Your Heart, Sharing Your Treasure” and have loved seeing how its content has helped couples find common ground in their finances.
Now I own and manage a group practice of 6 people and hope to continue to grow in the years to come. I do multiple lectures on topics such as “Technology and Mental Health”.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This question was interesting because I don’t think I realized how challenging the journey has been until I looked back. First thing, I couldn’t have made it this far without my wife, Kambree. Her encouragement and open ear allowed me the space to stumble and learn every day. Being a sole owner has pros and cons. One of the cons is that there is no one there to bounce ideas off of and no other insights to draw from. I had to learn everything about running a business on my own with the occasional help of outside mentors. This struggle helped me shed the sense of inadequacy I grew up with and realize that everyone starts out at the same place.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I love helping people find the strength inside themselves to tackle whatever the world may throw at them. My job, as I see it, is to get my clients to not need me. I actively push the responsibility for life back onto them and put them into situations that, when they come through it, shows them what they are capable of.
I’m the most proud of my team. I believe we have something very special in our culture. We’ve tried to create a space where we practice what we preach and encourage each other to continue our mental health journey together. In our industry, there are many firms that use and abuse their staff for the profit of the owner. What sets us apart is that we’ve created an environment where providers can feel valued, respected, and heard.
What do you think about luck?
Luck and God have played a huge role in my life and business. Every step of the way, I have had the right person drop into my life and show me the next step of my career. They have helped me overcome my fears and pointed me in the right direction. My ego would want me to believe that I was a lone survivor who fought through the jungle to get here, but that is not the case. I am only here today because of subtle influences of other mentors in my field.
Pricing:
- Initial Evaluatioin – $140
- 60-minute session – $130
- Accept BCBS, Cigna, Aetna and UHC
Contact Info:
- Website: www.foundationscounselingpllc.com
