Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cierra Jordan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Cierra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
During the years I worked to obtain my clinical license, I started thinking about opening my own practice. My plan was to get my LCSW, get some experience under my belt and eventually work for myself. However, I didn’t know exactly what that would look like since I knew almost nothing about private practice. Honestly, being a full-time therapist has never been my goal but I enjoyed doing it on a part-time basis. So, I made the decision to be a private practice therapist to gain the experience and learn how running a practice works. I worked part-time in a private practice for a few years before deciding to open Flourishing Futures Counseling in January 2020. Over the years, I became interested in being a supervisor to upcoming social workers, consulting with companies and agencies on mental/behavioral health education and even potentially getting into public speaking on mental health matters. For months, I researched how to start a LLC in my state, how other therapists had opened their practices, how to obtain clients and etc. Once I made the decision to go for it, things seemed to happen so fast! Opportunities to help jumpstart my business seemed to come from all directions. I had a name, an office space, support, networking opportunities and all within a few months’ time. The biggest challenge had to be making sure from a legal standpoint, my business was in order. I did every piece of work to get my business running on my own. Knowing what I know now, I would have sought legal advice in the very beginning if I had to start over again. Definitely would recommend that to young professionals starting their own practice! I would also recommend networking. As a mental health professional, networking and building solid professional relationships can be key to the success of your practice.
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?
Hi! I’m Cierra Jordan and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Memphis, TN. I currently own and operate Flourishing Futures Counseling. I landed in the mental health field after deciding in my undergraduate college years that being a lawyer wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to be more hands on in helping impact the lives of others, so my advisor recommended Social Work. We all know the stereotypes, so I was absolutely against it but took an introductory course just to see what I thought. Next thing I know, I’m graduating with my Master of Social Work degree!
Most social workers I know will say that the profession chose them, and I would absolutely have to agree. What drew me in was learning how broad the social work field is and how much more we are than what has been portrayed to the world. I started straight out of grad school going into therapy, but I’ve been in so many areas in this field. From therapy to different medical settings to travel social work and now, working at a company full-time as a Behavioral Health Consultant and running my own private practice part-time.
In my practice, I offer individual therapy, consultation to individuals, agencies, and companies as well as clinical supervision to upcoming social workers. I like to think what sets me apart from others is as a social worker, I have a wide range of experience from across the profession, which helps expose my social work supervisees to areas they’ve not had experience. As a therapist and more importantly, a black female therapist, I’ve been told of my relatability and being easy to talk to, offering my clients a safe space they don’t usually have; to express themselves, to be and to feel. That’s more important now than ever. I’m proud to be a black female therapist carving out space in the world for people looking for someone who looks like them and can relate to their experiences in many ways. However, I’m most proud of how my business is continuing to evolve. Over the past year, I’ve shifted my focus more to consultation and mental health education services. There is still a barrier for many communities and homes where mental health is a taboo topic. I always say people talk about mental health but don’t really TALK about mental health. With the restraints of COVID lifting, I plan to get involved more in community education on mental health, specifically working with underserved communities. I am passionate about mental health and my mission in my practice is encouraging mental wellness!
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
Honestly, I don’t think I would change a thing from any of my life experiences. I believe that we land where we’re supposed to and I’m supposed to be a Social Worker. However, I do sometimes think about what my life would have been like as a lawyer. If I was presented with the opportunity to obtain my law degree today, I would absolutely consider it. I think the experience I have as a social worker coupled with being a lawyer would make me a superhero!
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
To be successful in my field, I think it’s necessary to truly have a heart for being of service to people, be open minded and being emotionally and mentally centered. Being a mental health professional or a social worker, now more than ever, is not an easy job. There is so much going on in the world and people are looking to us for assistance. It can be a heavy burden and not for everyone, so it must be something that you feel called to do. The biggest aid in success is SELF-CARE! This is for sure what has helped me be most successful as a social worker. No job, no client, no issue is more important than my own mental well-being. Being able to balance this work and my life is vital and nonnegotiable.
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