We were lucky to catch up with Rayni Collins recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rayni, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Thanks for having me. I hope that my story can be of use to someone.

I have had a varied work history that started back when I was a teenager. That is when I learned about pivot, not just as a dance step, but as a concept. I can recall a moment when I was 16 years old and I was teaching a three-year-olds ballet and tap class. I became really frustrated. I was trying to get them to perform steps for their recital piece and they weren’t doing it exactly the way that I wanted them to. After I noticed some of the students were not enjoying the class, I questioned why I was discontented and if it was really necessary. The whole point of dancing for them at three-years-old was to have fun. This conflicted with the high expectations of myself as a 16-year-old pre-professional dancer; it was as if I saw them as a reflection of my own dance skills. So, I decided to lower my expectations of them performing the steps precisely and focus on dance being fun; in addition, to focus on the process instead of the product – their recital performance. Of course, this in turn made me enjoy teaching the class more with the relief of the pressure I created. As a result, they liked the class and performed well during the recital. That pivot in my mindset and approach made me realize that work and play can coexist. It seems that I have been pivoting ever since – long before becoming a business owner in 2022. So when I get annoyed when something does not seem to be working the way I want it to, I take a mental step back, ask myself some questions, and make the shifts needed – sometimes in the opposite direction.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Yes, of course. My name is Rayni Collins. I am an Online Sleep Therapist and Dance/Movement Therapist. My online private practice is called E-MOTIVE Counseling and I love working with creatives and artists who are struggling with rest and sleep.

I don’t know how far to dive into my background but let’s start with a little bit of my childhood. In elementary school I was known for my visual arts skills and was often in the first chair as a trumpet player in the band. There was a short time that I was in chorus as well, but singing has not been one of my stronger abilities as an artist. As a creative kid, I did not learn the traditional public school way and often got in trouble for doodling in class instead of paying attention to the teacher’s lesson. At age 10, I found my true art form in dance. The next year, I started to assistant teaching dance classes then transitioned to teaching classes by the age of 16. Also, at that time I started choreographing pieces that would go to dance competitions and won awards. After high school, I had planned to start auditioning to be in music videos and as a background dancer for a music artist. I had no intentions of going to college, but for some reason tagged along with a friend to an open house for the Columbia College (SC) Dance Department. Thank goodness I did. That weekend changed my mind about attending college because I wanted to move as beautifully as the dancers I had seen. During my time at Columbia College (SC), I sought out therapy because I was struggling with anxiety and the many changes happening in my life at that time. I started working with the school counselor, Mitzi Winesett, who sadly passed away in 2012. She made a big impact on me. I remember how I felt that she saw me, heard me, and cared for me. Mitzi really helped me shift the way I viewed myself; I began to understand who I was.

Fast forward to 2008, after I obtained my BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography, I spent a few years dancing professionally with four different companies and working various jobs to pay the bills. There were many weeks where I worked 60+ hours. During that time, because of the stress of overworking, my health started to decline and I started meeting with an integrative health practitioner. During my treatment, my practitioner suggested that I consider Dance/Movement Therapy as a career option since I loved dance and wanted to know more about psychology. I did some research and was immediately drawn to the field. I enrolled in Antioch University New England’s Master of Arts in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling program. While I was in the program, I treated myself as my first client in trying out the interventions I was learning. I did a lot of internal construction on my own issues. After I graduated in 2013 it took about six months before I got my first job at an outpatient facility where I worked for nine years with children to older adults with a variety of mental health issues. During this time, I obtained my full licensure as a counselor, my board certification as a dance/movement therapist, and then became a clinical supervisor. I am grateful for the experience I gained with that company.

When I started my private practice, in March 2022, I decided to specialize in sleep health as a Dance/Movement Therapist for a number of reasons. For one, I learned through my own struggles with sleep over the years that improving it benefited my mental and physical health. I took the basic sleep knowledge I acquired to start helping my clients with their sleep habits and they reported improvements – especially in their mood. I became more and more interested in sleep health which led to continuing education on it. I cannot seem to get enough information about sleep health! I believe that dance/movement therapy can be a powerful tool for treating sleep disturbances by getting people to move and dance throughout their day, it can increase their chances to relax and have a more fulfilling night’s sleep. Dance/Movement Therapy is an alternative way for people to process their life stressors that directly impacts sleep quality and quantity.

Throughout my life thus far, learning through my personal challenges with sleep, mental health, and physical health have made me curious to find the most effective ways to cope and heal. I believe that I have to do the hard yet rewarding work on myself in order to support others in doing the same. I think that in turn has made me a better therapist to share the knowledge I have gained and encourage others to seek knowledge themselves. My ultimate goal is to empower others to improve their health and happiness.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I could answer that question in a number of ways but one of the most important lessons I’ve unlearned is what being productive means. In the beginning as a new entrepreneur, I was operating like an employee; working long hours and constantly worrying about failing. This was solely driven by the fear of not making enough money for my livelihood and questioning my own abilities.

One day, I think it was Fall of 2022, one of my mentors, Amber Lyda, pointed out that I was doing A LOT. It was interesting that the person I was learning business strategies from was basically telling me I was doing too much. That moment made me question why I was trying to do everything all at once and overworking myself because that was not the reason I became an entrepreneur. This realization made me slow down and redirect my attention to what was most important to me and my business. After that, I narrowed down my priorities and started to balance my work life with my personal life. I also focused on trusting my gut more and only pursued tasks or projects that I was excited about – that charged me up instead of drained me. As a result, in only taking intentional action on what aligned with my values, I started to attract the clientele that I wanted to work with. Go figure!

Of course, there are still times when I wonder if I’m doing enough. But now, I know that I can always write down my ideas or list of tasks and revisit them later. If I’m still excited and charged up about them, then I’ll pursue them. If not, I’ll let them go.

I also reassure myself that I did enough to lay the foundation of my company and that I’m doing enough at any given moment. In a way, I really have trusted the process that things fall into place if I have done all I can. This has helped me to be more productive overall and to enjoy my work more. Now, what productivity means to me is applying my current energy into what I want to accomplish in that moment, which can look like administrative tasks, personal or professional projects, dancing in my kitchen, resting, or whatever else I want to do.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe that my reputation has been built on my commitment to being of service and being genuinely me. I always put my heart first in helping others, even if it doesn’t directly benefit me or my business. I am kind, genuine, and compassionate when I interact with others. I am also willing to share my knowledge and expertise, even if it’s just a few tips on sleep health or mental health. I believe that these “free samples” of my work have helped to spread the word about my services.

Just the other week, two fellow therapists reached out to me to consult about their clients who were having sleep issues. I thought, “I am being seen as a sleep expert! Yay!” That to me was a sign of how my efforts in building my reputation are working.

I have also built an online presence. I have a website and social media accounts where I share my work and connect with others. This has helped me to reach a wider audience and to build my reputation. Networking on social media has led to some really great connections with other professionals and to great opportunities. Getting to know other people across the world has been one of the many highlights of becoming an entrepreneur.

Before we end, I wanted to make sure to thank all of my supporters: my network of entrepreneurs and mentors and especially my family and friends. With their support, I did not feel alone in facing my fears and building my confidence.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.RayniCollins.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/e_motive_counseling/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RayniCollins
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/raynicollins

Image Credits
Arlynn Zachary