We recently connected with Cherell Butler and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Cherell thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
I was contacted by an individual provider to join an outpatient counseling service (private practice) for patients, who experience mental, behavioral health and life challenges. After planning my retirement of 30 years of service to Aiken County Public School District. Following several months of consideration, I accepted the offer and began providing individual counseling services to adolescents and young adults, who were experiencing anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, grief, and mood disorders. Initially, my plans for retirement were to continue volunteering in my community and to spend time with my family, especially my mother, who was recovering from a stroke, I provided counseling services part time until February 2019. However, those plans changed. I was asked by the owner’s son to consider purchasing the practice. I was honored yet appalled to be selected as the individual the family trusted to carry on their legacy as I had no desire to run a business. The owner boasted about my qualifications, as a LISW-CP & AP, and an independent provider/counselor, as our educational backgrounds were similar and he believed I would be a good fit for the practice. I consulted with my husband and we prayed about the opportunity as miracles happen everyday. After hearing the purchase amount I was discouraged due to not having funding. The owner encouraged me to use his bank. I met with the owner’s banker and was informed I did not need a $100,000.00 to invest/open the business, I needed less. I proceeded with the opportunity to because I asked God to use me as a servant and ambassador to His people. I frequently asked myself, “What would happen if the counseling group closed” and “How would our small community effectively serve 4,000 patients who receive mental health and behavioral health services?” Little did I know the business looked good financially on paper. I was left with a $75,000.00 bill for the psychiatrists and nurse practitioner which took me 3 years to pay off the bill and I worked 3 years and 6 months without compensation. I worked diligently to rebuild, rebrand and implement crisis management practices to successfully open Complete Care Counseling, LLC as the financial situation was in dire straits. At this time, I did not have staff or funds to aid in the development of the business. I had to rely on my family and myself to accomplish the goals and objectives of efficiently opening the doors of Complete Care Counseling, LLC on September 4, 2023. It was a life changing risk financially, physically and emotionally due to sacrifices, I and my family made in order to provide individual psychotherapy, family counseling and marriage counseling to patients in our community, who would have limited counseling services available due to lack of financial resources or insurance and several months after opening the private practice, the pandemic occurred, COVID-19.
Cherell, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I believe I answered the question how I got into the business with the previous question, Taking A Risk. My goal is to educate our community/society, advocate and increase awareness about mental health and behavioral health challenges, correct those who use stigmatizing language and to provide counseling services to patients with Medicaid, Medicare and limited resources or no insurance. I assist my patients in learning how to make lifestyle changes to identify positive coping strategies to manage their mental or behavioral health challenges, learn more about their mental health conditions, support and empower my patients to rebuild and maintain a sense of self-esteem.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been word of mouth and having the opportunity to participate in various online platforms and workshops sponsored by numerous organizations during the pandemic/COVID-19. COVID-19 has increased the awareness of mental and behavioral health. Conducting workshops and trainings in our community.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
No, I would definitely choose the same profession of being a LISW-CP ( clinician) in the mental health and behavioral health field.
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