Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessica Hornage. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jessica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
For most of my life, I’ve shied away from risk-taking as much as knowingly possible because it’s always been a scary idea. Over the years, I’ve learned different ways risk-taking can and has been rewarding. Starting my own practice and working full-time for myself have been the most rewarding risks I’ve taken thus far. Working 100% for myself seemed “too risky” at first so after filing my LLC I continued working fulltime for various companies while building my practice; but, the burnout was really taking a toll on my mental health. Ironically I was pushed out on the ledge when COVID-19 hit and literally only had my practice to fall back on. Here I am 3 years later still only working for myself, my practice has grown, and I’ve embarked on several other ventures since. Successful entrepreneurship involves a great deal of taking risks. I’m learning to embrace uncertainty and view failure as an opportunity to learn and grow which has motivated me to take more risks. Since, doing so, I’ve noticed I have been more personally satisfied than I’ve ever been in life.
Jessica, 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?
I am a woman of color, a licensed professional counselor, and the owner of Innate Counseling & Therapeutic Center.
Growing up, I aspired to be like my aunt who was a licensed cosmetologist and had her own beauty shop I watched my grandfather and uncles build for her in our backyard with their bare hands. Other than playing professional basketball, being my own boss is what I always envisioned for myself. To foster this dream, I attended Peabody Magnet High School in Alexandria, LA, and took specialized courses in their Business & Entrepreneurship program while playing basketball all 4 years. During my senior year, I became interested in psychology and later received an athletic scholarship to Texas Southern University where I majored in Psychology with a minor in Human Performance with hopes of becoming a sports psychologist. After some personal experiences, I later learned were traumatic for me, my passion for basketball and going pro started to dwindle which left me focused on my career in psychology and entrepreneurship. It was during my graduate studies and my own therapy I fell in love with the concept of mental health and wanted to help people and communities like where I grew up. My vision of owning my own business now looked more like owning my own mental health practice or facility or youth center of some sort. After much training, supervision, and groundwork, I obtained my license as a professional counselor and started Innate Counseling & Therapeutic Center, PLLC in 2017.
Innate Counseling & Therapeutic Center is a solo private practice located in Houston, TX where I currently provide virtual trauma-informed psychotherapy to those dealing with a variety of life issues. ‘Trauma-informed’ means I recognize the presence of trauma symptoms and how they may be impacting an individual’s life and what they are coming into therapy for. I work with and accept people from all walks of life; however, my practice has a specific focus on serving POC and other disadvantaged communities because of the disparities they face in mental health. I have training and experience working with children & adolescents, couples, families, and groups. I specialize in trauma, anxiety, and depression. Currently, I serve individual adults ages 18+ and I am accepting new private & insurance paying clients.
My clients know me best and what makes me unique is that I show up both authentically & professionally and I’m relatable. This helps cultivate a safe space they can quickly adapt to and become comfortable with to explore sensitive topics and trust enough to do deep healing throughout the process. My therapy style is laid back and much like my background, team-oriented in that I work collaboratively with my clients to figure out and reach their goals. I’m participatory in sessions which means I listen and give feedback, education, and ‘homework’ when necessary. I also ethically use safe & appropriate self-disclosure which is often powerful in the process because it helps balance the space and ‘normalize’ myself and my clients and increases self-exploration
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I started a “Mental Health Matters” campaign and created T-shirts and other products for brand promotion to spread awareness and make therapy more relatable. I use hip-hop and pop culture to encourage more conversations around the topic and that it’s ok to seek help. I’m most proud of my brand for the role it’s playing in this endless fight to break the stigma around mental health, persisting through the obstacles, and the lives it’s helped.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I think one of the most impactful lessons I’ve had to unlearn is the shame and negative ideas about myself that experiences and people from my upbringing have taught me. Although shame can be helpful and most of us deal with it, I experienced it more frequently and intensely which was harmful to my sense of self and well-being. I struggle with perfectionism so I’ve always been very hard on myself, critical and judgemental of my shortcomings, and much too concerned with what others think of me. Retraining my brain in this way is still a work in progress for me. Paying attention to my inner dialogue, changing how I talk to and label myself, and giving myself grace have been powerful tools for unlearning this.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Other than training and knowledge, going to therapy and doing my own self-care healing work has been most helpful. I often say ‘I’m a human first’ which means I deal with life issues just the same as the people I help, As a therapist, I often encounter unique challenges in my work that puts me at a higher risk for emotional turbulence; so, it is imperative I stay aware of this and surround myself with the supports I need to be able to maintain my own mental health and best help my clients. This also fosters healthy boundaries and greater empathy for my clients as they are going through the journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.innatecounseling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innatecounseling
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-hornage-ma-lpc-57a679125
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/InnateCTC
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3oPMF3-jcBCXgX_pG488qw
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/innate-counseling-and-therapeutic-center-houston
- Other: https://headway.co/providers/jessica-hornage?utm_source=pem&utm_medium=direct_link&utm_campaign=22556 https://openpathcollective.org/clinicians/jessica-hornage/ https://therapyforblackmen.org/therapists/jessica-hornage/ https://www.therapyroute.com/therapist/jessica-hornage-houston-united-states
Image Credits
Mike Sneed II- Sneedie Wonder Productions