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

Krystal, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share a story with us from back when you were an intern or apprentice? Maybe it’s a story that illustrates an important lesson you learned or maybe it’s a just a story that makes you laugh (or cry)?

My internship was a journey of experiences. I worked in a variety of mental health settings and gained valuable experience that helped me pioneer my own mental health private practice. The most important factor that I learned from my internship is to be always be ethical and have integrity. The most valuable lesson that I took was to be honest in business, advocate for yourself, and not be afraid to start over. There were times I didn’t advocate for myself as I should have. Not only was I hurting myself as a future clinician, I was hurting myself as a future business owner and supervisor. Therefore, I found a new supervisor and learned the importance of ethics and integrity while speaking up as I should have initially. I was no longer afraid of losing my internship and took charge in learning all that I could with the help and support of my newly appointed supervisor who was the best at leading new clinicians. I understood and realized that everyone has different teaching and learning styles and it is important to be a match to whom you choose to supervise, guide, and lead you as a clinician. Fast forward, I own my own mental health private practice and is thriving in business.

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.

I am a licensed professional counselor and certified school counselor for the state of Texas. My career started in social work, education, and now community mental health. I’ve always had a skillset of problem solving for others and providing a warm and nurturing approach which led me to work with children and then later adults. Currently, I provide counseling services to women with challenges of anxiety, depression, low self esteem, and life transitions. I help them work through past trauma and teach coping skills on how to improve their overall mental wellbeing. What makes me stand out the most is my authenticity, sense of humor, genuine, and direct approach. I meet people where they are without judgement and provide them with hope. I also provide employment and job coaching services to persons with disabilities. What I want people to know about me and my brand is that I am genuinely passionate about helping others achieve their goals and overcome challenges.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I believe the most effective strategy for growing my practice is making myself visible on platforms for therapists. My bio represents who I am and what I provide along with networking with other professionals including physicians, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, and attorneys. It is also evident that when you provide great services, your clients will share your information through word of mouth. I receive many referrals through word of mouth and is grateful for those therapeutic relationships.

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

I believe in having a community of like minded individuals in my field is also the key to growth and success. It gives me accessibility and access to other mental health providers to network and learn about other ways to earn multiple streams of income rather than providing 1:1 counseling services.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sevencounselingwellness.com
• Instagram: sevencounselingwellness
• Linkedin: Krystal Thornton
• Youtube: Krystal Thornton

Image Credits
Photographer: Angela Webb Instagram: angelawebbphotography