Today we’d like to introduce you to Usman Mughni.
Usman, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I went through several career changes before deciding to go to graduate school to become a licensed therapist. I feel a lot of my previous work and life experiences eventually led me to this path which I am not shy to say is my true calling in life. I have worked in healthcare for over a decade and have gotten to experience first-hand both the fragility and resilience of the human psyche. I always tried to see the inherent good in people and truly believe that individuals, couples, and families have amazing potential once you are able to help them navigate through the various challenges life can throw at us all. I moved to Dallas from Chicago almost 4 years ago after some friends helped convince me to take the leap from working at a large behavioral health hospital to running my own private practice full time. I felt Dallas would be an ideal place to start a business due to its diversity and faster than normal growth. Dallas hasn’t let me down!
Has it been a smooth road?
Opening a private practice has definitely not been a smooth road. When I first moved to Dallas, I had to come on here my own, leaving my wife and son to stay with her family until I was able to settle down and provide for them. I missed them a lot during that time, which was a huge motivation for me working to make this practice grow. Fortunately, I was able to bring them to Dallas after a few months of opening my practice. More than just putting in the hard work, I feel the bigger struggle was combating the uncertainty that all entrepreneurs face in the early stages of their business. I really had to work on trying to stay optimistic, challenging negative thoughts of potential failure, and making sure I reached out to my support network when I needed.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the PeacefulYou Counseling story. Tell us more about the business.
PeacefulYou Counseling PLLC is a therapy clinic that works with individuals, couples, and families struggling with a host of life challenges including but not limited to anxiety, depression, addiction, marital strife, low self-esteem, and family conflict. I am most proud of my clients’ successes. Seeing them smile makes everything we do worth it. What sets us apart is our tailored approach to counseling where we don’t believe in a one size fits all method, rather we try and meet people where they are and see what approach works best for their specific concerns. We apply a more holistic approach to treatment where we look at entire family system and not just the individual in order to get the most accurate assessment. We try to be pragmatic in our approach and are really committed to seeing our clients move past their struggles. We have a unique system set up where clients are able to go on our website and schedule themselves for a day and time that works best for them. I also try and use humor in my therapy because we all need a good laugh from time to time!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I believe that therapy is becoming more and more widely accepted. It was once considered taboo to see a therapist but now people are realizing that therapy is a means investing in yourself and you don’t have to wait until things build up to an unbearable point before deciding to see a therapist. So many life outcomes depend on our mental well being and there is a plethora of research showing the direct link between physical health and mental health. Although many people may not prioritize their mental health, I feel this is starting to change where people are becoming more open to dealing with their depression, stress, and anxiety before it reaches a point that may require hospitalization or a lot of time off work, illness, and disconnect from loved ones. I hope that counseling becomes more of a preventative medicine in years to come where people start to view therapy as being just as important as keeping up with their physical health.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2351 W. Northwest Hwy.
Suite 1223
Dallas TX, 75220 - Website: www.peacefulyou.org
- Phone: 972 413 8393
- Email: usman@peacefulyou.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeacefulY0U/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/peaceful-you-counseling-and-therapy-services-dallas-2
Image Credit:
Faiza M. Malik Photography
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