We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alyssa Webb-McCune a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alyssa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Texas and Owner of Natural Balance Counseling. We are a private mental health counseling company that focuses solely on adult mental health concerns. As I worked in the mental health industry, I found that there were few companies that focused only on the struggles that professional adults grappled with on a daily basis, yet we see an increasing number in people dealing with burnout, depression, failing relationships and a host of other things! Our clients can come into services confident that their counselors are coming into each session focused, prepared and ready to support them in whatever they are struggling with. Hard working adults deserve counselors who work just as hard to make sure they have all the resources, tools and insight necessary to thrive in this world today.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I grew up in a sect of conservative Christianity (Independent Fundamental Baptist) where I was raised with the expectation that the best option for my future was to marry a man in full time Christian service and solely be a wife and mom. This sect has received a lot of media attention recently through the documentary “Shiny Happy People” and other methods as more survivors are speaking out about our experiences. When I left the church in 2013, I struggled to figure out what I wanted to do, what life looked like without a Pastor directing my steps and grappled with where I belonged. My entire life had been pointed in one trajectory and all of a sudden I had to pivot in a completely unknown direction. I leaned greatly on the support of my extended family and new friends I made along the way. Through working with my own therapist, I identified core values that I had for myself and saw a glimpse of a life I could live.

Ten years later I’m in an incredible place where I am getting to work in a field that I love, I am married to an amazing man with two beautiful children and I get to help other survivors of religious trauma find and create a life they can truly thrive in. Those early years taught me the value of creativity, resiliency and trusting myself to find a way through any difficulty, no matter how overwhelming or dark it feels.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Taking care of my employees is one of my highest priorities as a business owner. Creating a positive company culture goes beyond cheesy pizza parties and occasional donuts in the break room. As a business owner, it is my responsibility to create a position and a company that my employees will not want to leave. I wish all business owners would take this heart in being proactive to support their staff. This means creating protective measures to decrease the likelihood of burnout, and adding value to the company that supports the employee in their personal and professional growth. I firmly believe that in interviews, potential hires should be interviewing the company as well seeing how we can support them and meet what they are wanting from a job. Often, this means getting creative with positions, responsibilities, and collaborating with staff on what is working and what isn’t. Asking questions like “Describe to me your ideal position and company” and “What do you need from us to feel supported?” are an important part of the process to see if the match is mutually beneficial.

Accepting criticism and owning up to mistakes is another big factor in our company culture. I want to hire people who are better than me in areas I struggle with. What this means then is that they push and challenge me in places I feel uncomfortable with where I am at. This type of mutual encouragement and growth is what is necessary to keep everyone working their best and providing the highest quality of services to our clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.naturalbalancecounseling.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/naturalbalancecounseling
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalbalancecounseling

Image Credits
Sara Massey