Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Sterling.
Hi Whitney, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I went to graduate school to be a counselor because I have always had a passion to help people, especially kids and families. As a child, I experienced my parents’ divorce and some other stressors and thought it would be cool to have had someone who could help me through it. That being said, I started working in private practice within another practice as a contracted counselor. There were certain demands that had to be met and I found myself getting burnt out (i.e., maintaining a certain amount of clientele each week, etc…). I stepped away from private practice and went in a slightly different direction while still thinking about how I could reach families and help them, without putting mine on the back burner. This is when I decided to start my own private practice. I wanted to be set apart and I noticed from being a case manager for mental health fresh out of college, that people responded better in their home environment. Therefore, I set out to create a counseling practice that would meet clients where they are. Meaning, in their home, at a park, coffee shop, or in my office. Whichever they prefer and are comfortable with. I started this practice in August 2019, yes right before the pandemic. It was definitely perfect timing because there were people who really struggled in 2020 and beyond due to anxiety that the pandemic brought and having a counselor that would come to your home really helped them because they were comfortable in their home environment due to quarantine etc… Fast forward to today, I get to help children, teens, parents, families, and even adult individuals with life’s struggles without having to meet certain deadlines and protocols. There is already a lot of stress that comes with being a counselor and creating my own practice so that I only had to worry about what I wanted to do business-wise was the best decision for me and my family.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think with any business there are always struggles. After all, failure is what helps us know how to succeed. I would say one of my struggles was starting right before the pandemic. Business started out really well but then took a bit of a hit due to the unknowns right when the pandemic started, so there were some that did not want to meet at all, not even virtually because a lot of people were in survival mode with the unknown and everyone’s kids were sent home from school. I was juggling having to teach my kids at home and trying to run a business, which meant networking as well. Most networking meetings were canceled during this time as well. Fast-forward to today, the struggle is now balancing my family life and business. I have a huge heart that would love to help everyone that reached out to me, but it is just not possible. I am the owner and sole counselor in my practice so I had to get connected to good referral sources so that I could feel comfortable referring people to other places.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Pure Grace Counseling & Wellness?
I specialize in working with children and teens to better help the whole family system. I offer parent coaching because a lot of parents don’t realize that a lot of the struggles their kids have start at home with the parents. I find it very important to always include parents along the therapy journey. Something else that sets me apart is that I will travel to where you are for counseling. I meet people where they are at literally. Furthermore, I provide a holistic approach. Meaning I am a firm believer in the mind and body being very connected, so I will look at the bigger picture as far as what are you eating, what supplementation are you getting, etc… Lastly, I am a Christian counselor and offer a biblical perspective and prayer in all of my sessions.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see more and more people becoming comfortable with virtual therapy. It is pretty cool to see how I can help people in the state of Texas that may be miles and miles away from me because of the virtual platform becoming popularized due to the pandemic.
Contact Info:
- Email: whitney@puregracecounseling.com
- Website: www.puregracecounseling.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/puregracecounseling
