Today we’d like to introduce you to David Ha.
Hi David, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Although I was born and raised in NY, my parents were born in Korea, and then moved to the States for a better life. They encountered so many different challenges along the way, but I’m grateful for their work ethic and sacrifice which gave me opportunities to pursue education and work in a field I am passionate in. I recognize today that not everyone has that luxury and for that, I’m forever indebted to my parents.
Before becoming a counselor, I pastored for about 8 years where I encountered so many individuals, couples and family’s struggling with their mental health. However, I didn’t feel equipped to help people in their struggles. This led me to go back to school to eventually become a licensed therapist in TX. By God’s grace, Counseling at Cornerstone was birth in 2016 and I’ve been able to help fulfill its vision to help bring healing, restoration and hope to all people.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey to start Counseling at Cornerstone involved a lot of hard work, sacrifice, time, and learning from my mistakes. To begin, going back to school while having 2 young boys to pursue my 2nd master’s, to then becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist although extremely gratifying, was also very time-consuming. It consisted of 500 hours of internship and 3,000 clinical hours. In total, it took 5 years from start to finish. Then once completing my licensure, I journeyed through the ups and downs of learning a business. It was not easy, but my anchor in Jesus, alongside the enabling power of His Spirit, allowed me to experience 5 years of joy and peace in the process.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Counseling at Cornerstone has 4 distinct values: acceptance, compassion, excellence, and professionalism. We are a counseling practice that appreciates the inclusion of diversity, aimed at creating a sense of belonging. We also value a culture of care that seeks to serve clients with honor and respect. We believe that this should be done through excellence and professionalism. We see clients ranging from ages 6-65+, whether that involves individual, couples, or families. I believe what sets us apart from other counseling centers is our particular passion to walk alongside pastors and those involved in vocational ministry. We understand what burnout looks like and the tremendous challenges pastors go through. We want to help break down the stigma of mental health in churches and support its leaders because we ultimately believe that in order to have healthy churches, there must be healthy leaders.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking.
When I look back at the decisions I’ve made in the past years, I have taken many leaps of faith. Yes, there were considerations and calculations, but ultimately, I believe my faith allowed me to push forward in making decisions that may not have always been the most logical. That allowed me to view the unknown not from a standpoint of risk or potential danger. Instead, I viewed the unknown as an opportunity to grow and an opportunity to fulfill what I believe God was calling me towards. As a result, there was unexplainable joy and peace although situations weren’t “ideal”. For instance, I had felt the call to move from CA to TX with no set job, to go back to school with 2 young boys. Some may call that illogical and even unwise. But over those first years of being in TX especially, doors opened up and everything worked its way out. It still required hard work and tremendous support from my wife Emily, but we attribute it all to the grace of God.
Pricing:
- $65-$150 (50 minutes)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.counselingatcornerstone.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselingatcornerstone/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/counselingatcornerstone
