We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Nancy V Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Nancy V , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the best advice you’ve ever given to a client? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever given a client is to slow down, protect their peace, and create intentional space for themselves outside of the chaos of everyday life. Many of the individuals I work with are so used to surviving, supporting others, and pushing through life’s pressures that they forget they’re allowed to simply be.

I remember working with a client who felt overwhelmed, overstimulated, and disconnected from her own identity. She was constantly trying to meet everyone’s expectations, scrolling social media for hours, comparing herself to others, and feeling like she was always behind. During one of our sessions, I encouraged her to take a real step back and reconnect with activities that grounded her, things that brought her joy before life got noisy.

That’s an encouragement I’ve been giving a lot lately, because I’ve been walking through that same season myself. I started reconnecting with creativity at home, planting, DIY projects, making my own soaps, reupholstering furniture, remodeling rooms, taking classes, and cooking, which has become one of my favorite ways to unwind. Cooking allows me to be present, use my senses, and create something nourishing for my family. Whether it’s cooking, creating, or remodeling a space, every small act is a brushstroke on the canvas of the life you want to live. I shared with her how these small acts helped me breathe again, find stillness, peace, and feel more connected to the present moment.

I suggested she find her own version of that, something simple, meaningful, and grounding. She decided to limit her social media time and started experimenting in the kitchen again, trying new recipes and letting herself have fun. Over the next few months, she began to feel lighter. She was sleeping better, her anxiety decreased, and she described finally feeling like she had “room to exist.”

By creating balance, giving back to others and giving back to herself, she started accomplishing small goals she had put off for years. And sometimes that’s where healing starts: not in the big moments, but in the quiet ones.

So the best advice I’ve given, and the advice I still stand by today, is this:
Prioritize your mental and physical health. Protect your peace. Disconnect from the noise when you need to and make time for the simple things whether it’s cooking, painting, remodeling a room, or creating something with your hands that brings you back to yourself.

That shift has helped many clients reclaim clarity, purpose, and joy, and it’s a practice I continue to live by myself.

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?

I am a Counselor, Healing Coach, and Hair Restoration & Hair Extensions Expert, and my work sits at the intersection of beauty, wellness, and emotional healing. I am also currently a graduate student in clinical training on the path toward becoming a licensed therapist, which allows me to integrate evidence-based therapeutic approaches into the support I provide.

My passion for helping people feel whole, inside and out comes from my own lived experiences as a survivor, advocate, and lifelong learner who understands the deep connection between self-worth, mental health, and personal presentation. I’ve been in counseling since I was a child, and that early experience shaped how I approach my work today. I could tell the difference between counselors who were there purely out of obligation or curiosity, and those whose own life experiences fueled their commitment to healing. The ones with lived experience and true passion for helping others left a lasting impression on me, and that’s the model I strive to embody in my practice.

My journey into this field wasn’t traditional; it was purpose-driven. I’ve spent years serving as a chaplain, holistic life coach, and mental health advocate, walking alongside individuals facing trauma, grief, addiction, and life transitions. At the same time, I developed an expertise in cosmetology, hair restoration, and hair extensions, earning my Master Cosmetologist and Master Educator licenses. Over time, I realized that both sides of my work were rooted in the same mission: restoring confidence, identity, and dignity.

Today, I blend therapeutic support with personal transformation. I provide counseling, trauma-informed coaching, peer support, and wellness guidance both in-person and virtually. I also offer parenting support and coaching, youth counseling and mentoring, at-risk youth support services, resource management, addiction peer support, and suicide loss coaching. Additionally, I provide sexual abuse recovery coaching, family conflict resolution, relationship, marriage, and intimacy coaching, as well as staff support services including conflict resolution, trauma support, and leadership training for employees and teams. My work has placed me in some of the most intense and emotionally demanding environments; I served as a chaplain in a Level II trauma hospital, supporting patients and families through emergencies, trauma, and sudden loss. These experiences strengthened my ability to hold space for people in crisis while helping them navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives.. I’m also trained in functional wellness and offer culturally sensitive, faith-based or non-faith-based support depending on each client’s needs.

On the beauty side, I specialize in hair loss solutions, extensions, and restoration for clients experiencing medical hair loss, stress-related shedding, postpartum thinning, breakage, or simply wanting to feel more like themselves again. I understand how deeply hair affects identity and self-esteem, and I create a safe, judgment-free space where clients can heal emotionally while transforming physically.

What sets me apart is the holistic, dual-discipline approach I offer. My clients don’t just walk away with a new hairstyle or coping skills, they walk away with renewed confidence, restored hope, and a plan for long-term healing. I focus on education, empowerment, cultural humility, and real-world solutions that meet people where they are.

I’m proud of the work I’ve done within the community, supporting survivors of child sexual abuse, volunteering with organizations that serve youth and vulnerable populations, and creating programs focused on awareness, mental health, overcoming, and recovery. I’m also honored to serve as an advocate and speaker, using my voice to break cycles and build futures.

What I want potential clients and followers to know is this:
I believe healing is layered, personal, and sacred. You deserve support that honors all of who you are, your mind, your body, and your identity.
Whether I’m providing counseling, coaching, or hair restoration services, my goal is always the same: to help people reclaim their power, rediscover their confidence, and step into a version of themselves that feels true and whole.

My brand is rooted in compassion, cultural awareness, authenticity, and real transformation. This is more than a business for me, it’s truly a calling, and I’m honored to walk alongside every person who chooses to trust me with their healing journey.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

Absolutely. I would choose the same profession every single time.
What I do isn’t just a career, it’s a calling and a part of who I am. I’ve been counseling people from my styling chair since I was young, long before I had the formal titles or credentials. Helping people feel whole, seen, and supported inside and out has always been in me.

Today, being able to blend beauty, wellness, evidence-based counseling, and real-life experience is truly a dream come true. I get to uplift people emotionally, restore confidence physically, and walk with them through some of the most meaningful chapters of their lives. I’m passionate about my work, and I genuinely love what I do.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Beyond education and technical expertise, what matters most is the heart and having a genuine love for the people you serve. In my work, success comes from meeting clients with empathy, compassion, and zero judgment. It’s about creating a safe, sacred space where people can be honest, vulnerable, and fully themselves.

I’ve experienced pain, loss, challenges, and growth in my own life, and those experiences have shaped the way I show up for others. I’m open about my journey, my mistakes, my losses, and the challenges I’ve faced so others feel safe to bring their whole selves. These experiences have given me perspective, compassion, and the ability to truly meet people where they are. I would never judge anyone’s path; instead, I lead with understanding, humility, and a commitment to helping each person heal, grow, and move forward at their own pace.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nancyvbrown.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancyvbrown?igsh=MXNmeHh2OWJndGZtNQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancyvbrown
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyvbrown100?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@myhummingbirdsings4152?si=u7YEVkupYFTw7NHU
• Other: Personal

  IG @nancyvbrown @bravegirlsriseup @nancyvbfownministries @nancyvbrownhealingcoach

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Image Credits

Joanna Petit-Frere
Visage 1 Studios