We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Bryanna Campbell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Dr. Bryanna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
I believe that one of the biggest risks I have ever taken was the decision to open my open therapy practice. The road to that decision involved years of me learning to trust my developing understanding of myself and my discernment.
Throughout my professional training I have always tried to be true to what I knew I needed, even if people around me didn’t understand my movements. Sometimes I didn’t fully understand my vision either, but I relied on my faith, discernment and support from friends, family and mentors to help me make decisions. What I knew for sure was that I valued freedom, autonomy, and flexibility and I knew that I wanted my career to offer me variety and options.
After I completed the last portion of my professional training I moved from one state to another with no job lined up, and was prepared to live with family (THANK YOU!!!) while studying for my licensure exam. That was quite the risk! I went from making consistent money to being unemployed for a year. People around me asked if I knew what I was doing, and although I didn’t have a clear plan, I felt a sense of peace and knowing about my decision. After I got licensed I began working in a group therapy practice, and it really helped me find my footing as a newly licensed psychologist. I was able to observe how different people approached business and I was also able to start developing my own professional voice and footprint.
Eventually I knew that I needed the flexibility to work on my own and truly live by the values that named earlier. I made the leap to solo practice in 2021 and it has been an exciting journey. Putting on the added hat of business owner has helped me expand in ways that I am truly grateful for. It has not been easy, but I am so proud of the risk that I took to bet on myself. Have there been moments of being overwhelmed? ABSOLUTELY. Have I wondered where I would get the resources from to make my next move? You know it! Have I regretted my choice? I can honestly say I haven’t. I am coming up on 3 years in solo private practice and I am looking forward to finding new ways to scale and expand my business in the future!
Dr. Bryanna , 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?
Hi there! I’m Dr. Bryanna Campbell and I am a Licensed Psychologist in North Carolina. People who knew me as a child would probably describe me as being observant, precocious, and curious about others. Growing up I was so intrigued by others and wanted to know what informed human behavior. I studied psychology all throughout school and decided that I wanted to pursue it as a career while I was in high school.
Fast forward some years and here I am, the owner of a private practice in which I offer services throughout the country! I provide individual therapy, group therapy, and consultation services to schools and other organizations and will be adding new service offerings soon! I contribute my writing to different outlets that prioritize learning information about the health and wellness of Black people, especially Black women (shoutout to the Therapy for Black Girls platform).
To know me is to know that I am proudly Jamaican-American, an introvert through and through, and more recently a plant collector! I value autonomy, humor, and meaningful connection with others and I try to emphasize these values anywhere I go.
My work operates from the lens of helping people help themselves and make the desired changes in their lives. In my clinical work I help my clients learn to connect with themselves and others more deeply and authentically. Using various techniques centered in self-awareness, self-compassion, and accountability, I help my clients better understand themselves and the relationships they are in. I believe that we all have a personal story, and some parts of our story may need a closer look and perhaps some revisions to parts that are not working the way we want them to. After gaining an understanding of each person’s story and learning what values they live by, I work with client to develop skills and techniques to live more meaningful, intentional lives.
I work with adults who are often the “changemakers” in their family. Perhaps they are the first person to question their family dynamics or they may be the cycle-breaker in their family. Having the courage to want/think/do something differently than the status quo can come with unique challenges and needs for support. I have a true passion for working with adult children of immigrants (first or second generation), especially descendants of Caribbean or West Indian families.
In my group therapy service I provide a process group for adult Black women called Sister Circle: A place to just…be. This group emphasizes both the diverse voices and experiences of Black women, and also their shared humanity. This group operates on the premise that sometimes some of the most meaningful change we can make in our lives happens in safe connection with others who experience us. Through the use of interpersonal techniques the group seeks to help women identify and communicate their emotions and needs to themselves and others and help them to experience intentional connection. One of the main goals of the group is to expand the community of each member and give each person the experience of being seen, heard, and valued.
In the future I plan to expand my services to include mental health coaching to individuals and organizations. Stay tuned!
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I would say my most effective strategy for growing my clientele is through word-of-mouth referrals. When people witness the meaningful shifts and changes my clients make in their lives it can give them the courage to start their own process of discovery. The strategy is doing quality work and connecting with clients that are aligned with what I do. Social media, online marketing, and other strategies are important, but I have found that personal referrals have been the most common and most effective way of growing my clientele.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
One lesson I’ve had to unlearn is thinking that everything must be done perfectly. I know myself to be a procrastinator at times due to fears about things being done perfectly. I have truly had to learn to surrender to the process at times and trust that even in moments of fear and doubt my deep sense of knowing is always present. It is a lesson that presents itself many times as my business continues to evolve and I continue to contend with it in different ways, but the end result is often similar – letting go of the ideal and embracing what already is. I can strive for more and aspire while respecting the capacity and resources I have in the present moment. That mindset has been very freeing for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.drbryannacampbell.com
- Instagram: @drbryannacampbell
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/bryanna-campbell-psy-d-a0009225
Image Credits
Personal photos.