Exploring Life & Business with Stacy Hixon of LifeWise Counseling and Wellness, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Hixon.

Hi Stacy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I first knew I wanted to be a counselor when I was 11 years old. After my first therapy session, I told my mother that one day I wanted to do what my counselor did. Although that moment stayed with me, it took time and life experience before I ultimately pursued that path.

My husband, Lynn, and I pursued our counseling degrees together while working full time and raising our daughter, Hazel. During that time, we also navigated a military deployment overseas. It was a demanding chapter filled with competing responsibilities, but it reinforced our commitment to this field and to the work of helping others.

Graduate school provided the academic foundation, but the real transformation happened during practicum and internship. That is when theory became human. I began sitting with real people, hearing real stories, and witnessing real healing. Those experiences shaped my understanding of what it means to be present with someone in difficult moments and support them in making sense of their experiences.

Today, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and I co-founded LifeWise Counseling and Wellness, LLC with my husband. Our work focuses on trauma, human behavior, and helping individuals understand the patterns that influence their lives. We also have a strong focus on mental health within first responder and military veteran communities, experienced by my husband’s work in law enforcement and his service as a US Navy veteran.

Over time, I have come to believe that counseling is not about fixing people, but about helping them reconnect with their resilience and their capacity to heal.

Looking back, this path required persistence and sacrifice, but it also confirmed that this work is exactly where I am meant to be. I still think about that 11 year old version of myself who first imagined becoming a counselor, and I am grateful she held onto that vision long enough for me to grow into it.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. Like many in this profession, my path has included sacrifice, persistence, and moments of uncertainty.

The transition from student to practicing counselor is often more challenging than people expect. There is a limit to what can be learned from textbooks. The realities of sitting with real people, navigating complex trauma, holding ethical responsibility, and carrying the emotional weight of the work are things that only experience can teach. Like most clinicians, I developed confidence over time, not all at once. That process is one of the reasons I value mentoring and supervising new counselors.

There are also practical challenges that many clinicians face, including building a practice, managing the business side of mental health, and learning how to sustain yourself in a role that requires ongoing emotional presence. These are areas that most graduate programs do not fully prepare you for.

Despite the difficulty, the challenges were meaningful. Each experience strengthened my understanding of resilience, reinforced the importance of boundaries, and deepened my commitment to continued growth as a clinician. Those experiences not only shaped the counselor I became, but also the way I support and mentor other clinicians who are navigating a similar path.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about LifeWise Counseling and Wellness, LLC?
LifeWise Counseling and Wellness, LLC is a private counseling practice focused on helping individuals better understand themselves, heal from difficult experiences, and create healthier patterns in their lives. Our work centers on counseling and life coaching services for people navigating trauma, anxiety, relationship challenges, major life transitions, and the everyday stressors of modern life.

One of the areas we are especially known for is trauma informed care. As a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, I place a strong emphasis on helping clients understand how past experiences influence present thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. Many people enter counseling feeling confused about their reactions, and one of our goals is to help them make sense of those patterns so they can move forward with greater clarity and self compassion.

In addition to our clinical work, we developed Steel Armor Mindset in partnership with the Blue Rose Project. This resilience based framework is designed to support first responders and military veterans in addressing trauma, strengthening mental and emotional durability, with a focus on psychological resilience, stress management, emotional regulation, and maintaining mental health in high stress environments.

What sets LifeWise apart is our practical and human approach to counseling. Therapy should not feel overly clinical or intimidating. We strive to create an environment where clients feel safe, understood, and able to speak openly about their experiences. Alongside clinical insight, we focus on building real life skills such as emotional regulation, boundaries, communication, and self awareness.

Another important part of our work is investing in the next generation of counselors. I provide supervision and mentorship to counseling students and LPC Associates, helping them develop both clinical skill and professional confidence as they transition into the field. We are also proud to have Caity as part of the LifeWise team, bringing her own compassionate and thoughtful approach to supporting clients.

We also speak openly about the realities of mental health and the counseling profession. I am passionate about educating others on psychology, human behavior, and the therapeutic process through speaking engagements, interviews, and mentorship.

At its core, LifeWise Counseling and Wellness, LLC was built on authenticity. The intention has always been to meet people where they are and provide honest, thoughtful support during some of the most difficult seasons of their lives. Our goal is to create a space where individuals feel respected, heard, and empowered to make meaningful, lasting changes.

Ultimately, LifeWise exists to help people better understand themselves, build resilience, and move forward with greater insight and purpose.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My family is what brings me the most joy. My husband, Lynn, and I have walked through many experiences of life together over the past 24 years that have strengthened our relationship and shaped the life we have built as a family.

Seeing our daughter, Hazel, now grown, married to a wonderful son in law, Brayden, and pursuing her social work degree with the goal of becoming a counselor herself brings me an incredible sense of pride. Watching her follow a path centered on helping others is deeply meaningful to me. Our home is also filled with laughter and personality thanks to our two Shih Tzu puppies, Winnie the Tzu, Elli Ruth and our granddog Doug Doug. The time I spend with my family keeps me grounded and reminds me what matters most.

Professionally, what brings me the most fulfillment is witnessing people gain insight into themselves and realize they are not as stuck or broken as they once believed. There is something powerful about watching someone connect the dots between their past experiences and present behaviors, and begin making meaningful changes. Helping people understand themselves with compassion rather than shame is one of the most rewarding parts of the work I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lifewisetx.com