Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Melody Thompson, LPC. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dr. Melody, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
Growing up, I always wanted to be a lawyer, teacher, and counselor. My high school allowed students to have the experience of the courtroom through mock trials. I was selected to give the closing argument. I was so excited to have this opportunity. I remember working toward this with my friends during class. The day finally came for us to take a field trip to the courtroom. My moment had arrived. I stood up to give my closing argument. I froze. I could not steady my thoughts and my words did not make sense. I was mortified. I remember riding home on the bus sad and alone. It was at that moment that I decided to become a counselor. After this experience, I became very serious about my pursuit of becoming a counselor. All the classes I chose from that point forward aligned with that goal for my life. This was the best decision I could have made for myself. I love counseling today.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Hi! I’m Dr. Melody Thompson, LPC. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, speaker, and author. I specialize in Relationships, Christian counseling, and, Emotional Wellness. I have a passion for helping others in their relationships with all people including God. The relationship we have with other people has an impact on every area of our lives. We need to know how to navigate those relationships in a healthy way. I love to help people learn better ways to overcome conflict so they can embrace restoration.
I have been active in the mental health and substance abuse field since 2004. I received my bachelor’s in Psychology from Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, my master’s in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University, my master’s in Business and Administration from the University of Phoenix, and my Doctorate of Philosophy in Psychology from National University. I received my license in the state of Georgia in Professional Counseling at the associate level in May of 2006 and was granted full licensure in the state of Georgia as a Professional Counselor in June 2009. I was licensed as a minister and ordained as an Elder at New Mercies Christian Church under the leadership of Pastor Jesse Curney, III. Dr. Melody has been allotted the opportunity to work in a variety of areas in the mental health and substance abuse field such as crisis line setting, inpatient setting, outpatient setting, Christian counseling setting, and community mental health setting; providing assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, audits, reauthorizations, education, etc. In addition, I am the author of PK Syndrome: Do You Have It? This book outlines ways to overcome the relational difficulty a person can experience growing up as the child of someone in leadership.
I currently offer Professional Counseling and coaching online through my private practice, Creative Care Solutions. I also host Marriage Retreats and Spiritual Retreats through my company, Melody Thompson Ministries. I am also available for speaking engagements and to facilitate retreats for other organizations.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
One of the most difficult moments of my life was when I got laid off. This was also one of the best moments of my life because it birthed the beginning of my private practice.
This journey started with me quitting my full-time job after having my son. I began working as a contractor at community mental health agencies to control my schedule. I finally found a salaried position that would allow me to work from home. I was only there for 2 months before they began saying that layoffs were coming. I prayed and asked God for direction. It’s important to know that God is a huge source in my life and I take my direction from Him. I believed God told me that everything would be fine. The company decided to lay me off. I was confused and scared. I spoke to someone close to me to talk through my confusion. I prayed and asked God for help. I began reaching out to previous co-workers in the field. Through this, Creative Care Solutions (my private practice) was hired to begin seeing clients in a private practice setting. I worked there for 1 year before I left to rent my own space and begin seeing clients solely under my company, Creative Care Solutions. Today, I wish I could thank the owner for laying me off. It was the best thing that could ever happen to me.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
I was once told by someone close to me, “What you put your energy into will grow.” This statement made me decide to put my energy into my company. I sought out the assistance of the UGA Small Business Development Center in my area. The person I worked with helped me identify my audience and the practices I use that make me different from other counselors in the field. I restructured my website to align with these things. I made small commercials to post on Facebook before they were running ads. I made sure I was listed on Google. I increased my social media presence over time. I also prayed. Although all of these things were vital to the growth of my clientele, I think the 3 most important strategies are prayer, structuring your language to your audience, and truly helping clients transform when they come see you.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.creativecaresolutions.org; www.melodythompsonministries.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativecaresolutionsllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreativeCareSolutionsLlc; https://www.facebook.com/DrMelodyThompson; https://www.facebook.com/melody.thompson.3382
Image Credits
Nat Carter Richard Lundy