We recently had the chance to connect with Natasha Montgomery and have shared our conversation below.
Natasha , we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Honestly, my life often feels like a nonstop cycle of tasks and obligations. I’m constantly moving from one thing to the next. As a therapist, a mom, a business owner, and a natural giver, I’m usually in the role of supporting others. That means I have to be very intentional about carving out space just for me.
Lately, that space has been my garden.
What started as an empty raised bed in my backyard has become a source of real joy. I laugh because even my 12-year-old daughter will ask, “Mom, what did you do this week outside of work?” She already understands that life should be about more than just responsibilities. And gardening has become my way of tapping into that.
I never thought I would enjoy being outside in the dirt, dealing with bugs and heat. But there’s something incredibly calming about it. I’ve been growing herbs, fruits, vegetables, and even adding new plants around the house. There is healing in nurturing something from the ground up. It has reminded me that progress takes time. Just like in therapy, you don’t always see the results right away, but with patience and care, growth always comes.
If you’re searching for a little joy, I encourage you to go outside and reconnect with nature. Go touch some grass. It has definitely become a life-giving space for me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Natasha Montgomery, and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and Certified Life Coach based in Texas. I’m the founder of M.B.S. Whole Health Counseling & Coaching, a private practice grounded in a holistic approach that supports healing through the mind, body, and spirit. My mission is to make mental health care more accessible and culturally responsive for minority and underserved communities.
What sets my practice apart is the range of support we offer. In addition to therapy, I provide business and personal coaching for those navigating growth and change, as well as clinical supervision for counselors working toward licensure. Whether I’m walking alongside a high-achieving Black woman facing burnout, helping a couple reconnect through emotionally focused therapy, or mentoring the next generation of mental health professionals, I approach this work with intention, compassion, and a deep sense of purpose.
I’m also the host of the This Therapist Has Problems Podcast, a space where I share honest, unfiltered conversations about mental health from both sides of the therapy couch. It’s about reminding people that healing is human, and even therapists are still doing the work.
Right now, I’m focused on expanding my reach through community workshops, digital tools, and group offerings that make support more accessible beyond the therapy room. My goal is to build a brand that people can trust, not just for healing, but for real-life transformation that sticks.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed I didn’t deserve to be loved unconditionally. If I’m being honest, that belief still tries to whisper its way into my life from time to time, but I’ve been doing the work to release it as I grow into the woman I am today.
I experienced significant abandonment, emotional neglect, and childhood trauma. Because of that, I internalized the idea that love had to be earned. I thought I had to perform, adjust, or be exactly who others wanted me to be in order to be worthy of love and attention. I became a chameleon, constantly shifting my identity to meet the expectations of others. In doing that, I lost connection with who I really was and often diminished my own value.
With time, therapy, and deep healing, I’ve come to embrace a different truth. I now understand that love is not a reward for good behavior. It’s something that should be given freely and without condition. I’ve accepted that I am not for everyone, and that’s okay. My worth isn’t dependent on how others see me, and I no longer feel the need to shrink myself in order to be chosen.
This journey has been both personal and transformative. It has deepened my empathy and made me a better therapist. I’m able to walk alongside clients who are untangling similar beliefs, and I can show up with authenticity and compassion because I’ve been there too. Knowing that my healing has purpose beyond myself is one of the most freeing and beautiful parts of this journey.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I’ve experienced a lot of pain throughout my life, starting in childhood. There were times I questioned why I had to go through so much. I questioned God. I questioned my purpose. I started to believe that maybe a life filled with pain was all I could expect. There were moments when I felt so overwhelmed that I considered how I could take matters into my own hands just to make the pain stop.
But going to therapy changed everything for me. As I began to heal, I started to see that my life experiences weren’t random. They were preparing me for my purpose. Becoming a therapist helped me make sense of it all. My pain became the very thing that allowed me to show up for my clients with depth, authenticity, and compassion. I don’t just offer textbook knowledge. I bring lived experience. I carry battle scars from walking through hell and choosing to survive it.
That shift in perspective gave me the courage to reclaim my story. I created This Therapist Has Problems Podcast as a space to normalize the humanity of therapists, to be honest about my own struggles, and to offer tools for healing. I wanted people to see that even mental health professionals wrestle with pain and that it’s possible to come out on the other side.
I could have stayed stuck in a place of shame, self-pity, or silence. Instead, I chose to use my pain as a platform for empowerment. I’m proud of what I’ve built with the podcast, and I’m excited to keep growing that space and community. It’s proof that our pain doesn’t have to define us. It can be used to light the way forward for others.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. My goal has always been to walk in vulnerability and authenticity, so what you see on my platforms is truly who I am.
One of the hardest parts about entering the mental health field was confronting this idea that therapists are supposed to hide themselves and always sit in the role of “the expert.” Now let me be clear. I fully believe that therapists should never use a session to process their own issues with a client who is paying for their support and guidance. And I absolutely believe we should be experts in our field, providing evidence-based care and professional insight.
What I don’t believe is the idea that therapists have to pretend to have it all figured out. That we don’t struggle. That we are somehow untouched by the realities of life. Therapists are human. Many of us bring a deep sense of empathy to this work because we’ve done our own healing and know what it takes to grow through difficult experiences. There is so much value in showing our humanity and being real-life examples of what it looks like to practice the same tools we recommend to others.
In the therapy room, my focus is completely on my clients and their needs. But outside of that space, I choose to use my voice and platforms to share who I really am and what I’ve walked through. When you visit my social media or come across my podcast, what you see is the real, fully authentic me. I don’t hide my flaws or struggles. I use them as teaching tools to show what healing can look like in real time.
My podcast, This Therapist Has Problems Podcast, is probably the rawest and most honest reflection of who I am. It’s where I show up as a human first and a therapist second.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’ve always looked at my life in two parts: my first life and my second life.
In my first life, I did what I believed I was supposed to do. I checked all the boxes. I went to college, graduated, got married, had children, and climbed the career ladder into a well-paying job. From the outside, it looked like success. But inside, I felt unfulfilled and disconnected from myself.
Eventually, I reached a breaking point. I was no longer willing to live a life that didn’t reflect who I truly was. That’s when I made the decision to begin my second life. It was a deeply personal and transformative journey. I’ve always known I was meant to be a helper, and with that understanding, I made the choice to go back to school, complete my Master’s program, and step fully into my purpose as a therapist.
It was not an easy decision. It required sacrifice, time, and faith. But I reminded myself that time was going to pass either way. I could let it pass while staying stuck in a life that made me miserable, or I could use that time to create something more meaningful and aligned with who I truly am.
Today, I can honestly say I am living the life I was born to live. I wake up each day with purpose, doing work that feels deeply fulfilling. It is an honor to walk alongside my clients as they navigate some of their most difficult seasons and begin to heal.
Making the decision to start over didn’t just change my life, it became a powerful example for my children and for the people around me. It showed them that you are never too far gone to start again. You can choose what you want your life to look like. You just have to be willing to do the work to get there.
This journey has also made me a better therapist. Because I’ve done the work myself, I am able to walk beside my clients with deep empathy and insight as they begin to uncover who they were truly meant to be. I get to help them tap into their own power and create the life they desire. That, to me, is one of the greatest honors of this work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mbswholehealth.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbswholehealth/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbswholehealth
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbswholehealth
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mbswholehealth
- Other: This Therapist Has Problems Podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf62Ub-k1Sb_J2bB2yI3YRdiJHjeDc3ZX
