Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Ondiek.
Hi Leah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story has been shaped by both hardship and resilience. I grew up with loving parents who worked tirelessly—my mom a teacher and my dad a consultant and author who often traveled for work. In their absence, we were cared for by extended family and caregivers. While some were supportive, others took advantage in harmful ways. I learned early how to mask pain, appearing strong on the outside while silently struggling inside.
Boarding school only deepened that sense of disconnection, but I found ways to keep my spirit alive through dance, food as an art, and the Christian Union organization that gave me faith and community. During summer holidays, I would escape to Lake Victoria, where the quiet waters gave me the serenity my heart longed for. The horizon, the waves, and the stillness became my sanctuary—a place to remember peace was possible.
In young adulthood, I faced moments of exploitation and mistreatment, including being denied fair pay and pressured by someone in a position of authority during my college practicum year. After college, I pursued teaching in Tanzania, East Africa. Though the opportunity was first presented in questionable ways, I refused to let my dream be stolen. I showed up at the school every day until Mr. Kamau finally entrusted me with a classroom. That year with my fifth-grade students became one of the best of my life—we grew together, and my class became the top-performing class in the school.
In 2008, shortly after graduating from Texas Christian University, my world shifted again with the sudden loss of my father—my best friend and the person I thought I’d be building a legacy with. His passing, as the primary breadwinner of our family, forced me to grow up quickly. Yet out of that grief was born a determination to carry his legacy forward. I became a Qualified Mental Health Professional that same year, stepping into work with children and families in some of the most challenging spaces.
Nearly a decade later, in 2017, having witnessed firsthand the limitations of one-size-fits-all care, I saw the need for a more holistic lens in mental health. That vision gave birth to Holistic Approach to Mental Health. I began with one client in a small office subleased from a friend. What I carried into that space were the same things that had carried me: music, dance, food, faith, social support, and resilience. Over time, that seed has grown into a thriving practice serving children, teens, and adults with holistic, trauma-informed care.
My journey has taught me this: what was meant to break you can instead become the foundation that lifts you higher. Pain can be transformed into purpose, and even in the darkest seasons, there is always a path to healing, wholeness, and legacy.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Building a career and later founding Holistic Approach to Mental Health came with its share of challenges. On a personal level, I had to learn how to heal from my own past while showing up for others in their darkest seasons. Professionally, starting out as a young Qualified Mental Health Professional in 2008 meant stepping into environments that were under-resourced and often overwhelming.
When I launched Holistic Approach to Mental Health in 2017, it was completely bootstrapped. At the time, I didn’t know much about business plans—it was less of a polished strategy and more of a survival response. After leaving my role at the county psychiatric hospital, I stepped into full-time private practice out of necessity and faith, determined to create something that could last. There were times I scraped together enough just to pay my staff, sometimes going without a paycheck myself. My kids would sit in the other office on evenings or weekends while I worked tirelessly to keep the business afloat. At different points, I thought I had found the right administrative assistants or business partners, only to watch them leave to pursue their own opportunities. Those moments were tough, but they also taught me adaptability, discernment, and how to refine the systems and vision I had in place.
And as a Black African woman, the road came with another layer of challenges. Being Black already comes with obstacles, but being both Black and African sometimes felt like another universe altogether. Early on, I had to fight to prove myself just to get on insurance panels. Sometimes I faced denials, but I was relentless. I also became an advocate—pushing for increased reimbursement rates to cover overhead costs and ensure fair pay for providers. That fight was about more than my practice; it was about dignity for the professionals doing this work and sustainability for the care our communities deserve.
What carried me through was not only resilience, mentors, and community, but also my girls—Esi and Iman. They were my reason to keep going, the faces that reminded me that everything I was building mattered. Their presence gave me strength during the hardest moments and inspired me to model what it means to live with courage, faith, and purpose. And along the way, my cultural exposure and sensitivity became one of my greatest strengths. I was able to attract a wide array of clients from different backgrounds, and they’ve told me they feel at home with me. That trust has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey.
For every obstacle, there has been an even greater reward. I’ve witnessed children regain their joy, teens find their voice, and adults rediscover peace they thought was lost forever. I’ve seen families learn to heal together, and I’ve been humbled by clients who have allowed me into the most vulnerable chapters of their lives. Watching my vision grow from one client to a thriving practice has been a reminder that resilience bears fruit.
The road has not been easy, but it has been a very rewarding one. Every sacrifice has deepened my compassion, every mentor has lifted my vision, and every milestone has reaffirmed why I chose this path: to turn pain into purpose and to help others believe in the possibility of healing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Holistic Approach to Mental Health was born from both my professional journey and my personal story. We are a trauma-informed practice serving children, teens, and adults through counseling, holistic interventions, and supportive services. We specialize in helping people work through trauma, anxiety, burnout, and life transitions using approaches that honor the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.
What sets us apart is our holistic lens. Healing is not “one size fits all,” and our team blends traditional counseling with practices such as somatic therapy, mindfulness, dance, creative expression, nutrition awareness, and community support. Because of my cultural exposure and sensitivity, clients from diverse backgrounds often share that they feel at home with us. That sense of belonging is something I’m very proud of.
Since launching in 2017 with just one client in a subleased office, we’ve grown into a thriving practice with a team that includes licensed counselors, psychiatric support, and administrative staff who care deeply about our clients. We are known for being not only a counseling practice, but a space for innovation. Some of our signature offerings include the Reset to Rise program for burnout recovery and resilience, the Sacred Daughters course for mother–daughter healing and empowerment, and my children’s book Tom and the Tree Inside, which helps families talk about emotional well-being in a creative way.
We also provide workshops and community partnerships, extending our mission beyond the office walls. Whether online or in person, our services are designed to meet people where they are and give them tools they can use for a lifetime.
Brand-wise, I am most proud that Holistic Approach to Mental Health is rooted in legacy. Our mission is simple: to help people heal from the inside out, rediscover resilience, and build a legacy of wholeness that extends to families, communities, and future generations.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happiest is knowing that at my core, I am a good and peaceful person. I take great care of myself and those I love, and I extend that same care to my clients and the staff at Holistic Approach to Mental Health. My happiness comes from living in alignment with those values—showing up with compassion, peace, and integrity.
I also love creativity and free, fun spaces. You can catch me dancing, hiking a new trail, cooking a heartfelt meal for my family, or laughing so hard with my girls that the moment turns into a memory. These simple joys keep me grounded and remind me of what truly matters.
At the heart of it all, I love God and I am spiritually attuned. In those quiet moments of true tranquility, I find inner peace and happiness, and I strive to live in that space as much as I can. My faith anchors me in gratitude and fuels the joy I carry into every part of my life.
Pricing:
- Insurance accepted by some providers: Individual Therapy Sessions: $150–$200 per session (varies by provider)
- Insurance accepted by some providers: Couples & Family Therapy Sessions: $175–$225 per session
- Reset to Rise Program (60-day group program): starting at $69 (self-paced) up to $597 (premium package)
- Workshops & Community Events: pricing available upon request (many community offerings are low-cost or free)
- Insurance accepted by some providers: Initial Psychiatric Evaluation: $250, & Medication Management Follow-Ups: $125–$175
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.holisticapproachmentalhealth.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticapproachtowellbeing
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-ondiek-m-s-lpc-supervisor-0b46bb52?
- Email: holisticapproachteam@gmail.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@leahakaprincessleah2421
