We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jordan Conner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jordan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

Let me frame the picture before diving into my dirty little secret. I might not call it a defining “moment,” but rather a season of transition that is currently defining the direction of my business.

When I started the journey of building my own business, my mind was constantly racing with new ideas, possibilities, and a desire to move quickly and with ease. I mean, truly, who doesn’t want for things to just “fall into place”? We all want that story of “happily ever after.” And, my first client did happen to fall into my lap and, thus, my business as an art therapist was born. It seemed so simple and since the first client was easy, I expected the rest would be easy, as well.

I was greatly mistaken.

When I moved “back home,” I tried to find a position as an art therapist. With four years of experience in a mental health facility, I thought it would be easy. If you know anything about art therapy, which is unlikely, you will also know that art therapy consists of just thousands of practitioners—a quick search came back with 4799 in the US. Jobs for art therapists, especially in the southeast, are close to impossible to find. When I received a random phone call about a potential client, I thought to myself, “This is it!” deciding this was the answer to my prayers. I filed for my LLC within the week and started with my first client immediately.

I have traversed a variety of obstacles, mostly emotionally, mentally, and more recently, spiritually. I’ve questioned my own worth, the financial stability of my business (and my family), my own validity as a practitioner (which is pure ridiculousness), and so much more. Plus, I had “expert” advice coming from every person in my life—family, friend, and stranger. If you’re a business owner, I applaud you! It is one of the hardest endeavors I’ve ever encountered, aside from parenting. EVERYONE thinks they can help you by contributing ideas. NO THANKS! I have plenty of those!

My business name was (and is) a play on words. “Wholly Beautiful” specifically refers to the individuals who make up my clientele—they are both wholly, or “entirely”, beautiful and “holy”, or beautiful in the eyes of God. I felt in my heart that God was calling me to create this business.

The opportunity I missed was following through with the plan to create a Christ-centered business. While your business does not by any means have to relate to your spirituality, one big difference is that God has been calling me in this direction for a while. But, I’ve been dragging my feet.

“WHY ME?”

Just as Moses first does in the book of Exodus, I questioned my worthiness, God’s choice, and my own ability. Surely you meant to ask someone else, God! I’m terrible with words! I am, after all, an ART therapist. I’m a nobody! I think I can name about 50 people in the state of SC. And, I’m no expert in the word of God! I barely know the vague children’s stories of Sunday school! “You’ve got the wrong girl, God!”

At the root of this was fear. I’ve been the girl that was claimed as “unchristian-like” in church. I’ve been judged and outwardly condemned by the very people that claim to be of God. I did not want to be that person to someone else, most definitely not as a mental health practitioner. Where I live, it seems that being a Christian also means being a hypocrite and a condemner. I feared becoming that person to someone else.

But, God has recently shown me through others in my life that I can be a follower and a leader at the same time, I can follow my God and lead with pure, unconditional love. I can be the person God desires me to be and I don’t have to live into that expectation of judgement.

So, my dirty little secret is that I believe God to be the giver of peace. I am just the facilitator of that gift, while also utilizing the resources and tools of visual creativity and the body as an art therapist and yoga instructor. This does not mean that my clients are required to hold the same beliefs. It just means that I will be the unicorn that accepts them as wholly beautiful, regardless of their past or their present and I will courageously share the way that I have found peace along my own journey.

Jordan, 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?

My journey as an art therapist and yoga instructor began when I realized that my soul was being sucked out of me as I folded clothes in the back of a retail store. I had been a manager for almost 4 years and was on the fast track to becoming upper management in a large well-known clothing retailer. The only problem was that I was no longer engaging in visual creativity, my biggest passion. I worked long, odd hours and with a young child at home, I often felt like I was missing out on life.

After some extensive research, I decided upon a happy marriage of visual creativity and helping people—art therapy. I spent the next four years completing some pre-requisite courses and then studying for my master’s degree in art therapy before taking my first position at a mental health facility in NC.

It was also during this time that I was introduced to yoga and fell in love with the dance-like fluidity of movement. Art and yoga seemed to be the perfect match, being both potentially spiritual and healing for all people in all walks of life.

As a business owner and mental health practitioner, my main goal is to provide care for people in a way that exemplifies God’s love. The two modalities that I chose are not generally connected to Christian spirituality, but God is present in all things. As the facilitator, I bring Him with me into the art studio and onto the yoga mat—it’s all in the motivation behind the action.

I desire for all people to feel welcome, safe, and courageous in my sessions. They are free to be themselves and to share their stories as truths. My clients and I work together in partnership, utilizing their own art and movement to help put the pieces together so that they can confidently accept all parts of themselves. The results lead to their understanding that they are worthy, they are enough, and they are wholly beautiful. No disclaimers. Period.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

To fellow entrepreneurs out there trying to build their dream business, I have just one BIG recommendation. YOU DO YOU! Don’t worry about what people around you are doing. Don’t ask for advice from people who have never built a business or don’t know anything about your niche or your expertise. They could never understand what your vision is because it’s not their vision! Especially if God has provided you with a particular mission or vision, remember that He gave it to you for a reason. Lean into Him for guidance and trust that He has provided you with everything that you need. I took many detours along the way because I was not trusting in my own intuition as the parent and guardian of my business. Even in moments where I was trusting, people and social media (!!!) would somehow steer me on a different path for a while. Write down your goals and read them DAILY so that your attention does not stray. Find an accountability partner to talk with regularly. It’s so easy to get distracted or to find evidence that something is not working. Keep moving forward!

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

In my experience as an art therapist and female, I find myself often working alongside or “beneath” men in the field of mental health. I constantly have that nagging voice in my head telling me that I’m not good enough or that I don’t have a voice. And, to be quite honest, the men that I have worked with (professionals, not clients) can be rather domineering and self-righteous. And, while I throw professional men under the bus, might I also add that females can be this way, too.

Not too long ago I met a fellow art therapist with a very small chair tattooed on her arm. It caught my attention because it appeared to be so random. She explained to me that she has often felt as though there is no chair at the table available to her, so she brings her own. This small tattoo provides a visual reminder to her that there is ALWAYS room at the table for her and that her voice needs to be heard. This is not just true for art therapists, but for all women–your voice matters. Bring your own chair to the table. Squeeze in and make yourself known!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.whollybeautiful.life
• Instagram: @whollybeautiful.life
• Facebook: @whollybeautiful.life

Image Credits
Erin Daniels Photography