We recently connected with Larissa Darter and have shared our conversation below.

Larissa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

Reflecting on what my parents did right profoundly influences my journey to becoming a strong business owner and leader. Here are four things my parents did to impact my life and career as a business owner:

1. Fostering Independence:
My parents encouraged me to make a way for myself at a young age. I began my first job in junior high at our local parks and recreation department as a baseball scorekeeper. During summer leagues, I walked to work at our baseball park, a few blocks away. During this time, I saved my income for my very first car. In college, I earned several scholarships for academics, athletics, and even worked several jobs to acquire as little debt as possible when graduating. This early independence instilled a sense of responsibility and social skills crucial for entrepreneurship. It taught me confidence that I can achieve my goals, trust my instincts, and navigate the uncertainties of running a business.

2. Modeling Work Ethic:
Observing my parents’ strong work ethic shaped my leadership style. They are hardworking and resourceful and their own personal businesses. They taught me the importance of leading by example, maintaining ethical standards, and treating others with respect. All of which are foundational in owning a business in the mental health profession. As a business owner and therapist, I value bringing my best work every day with resources and current research that applies to the specific needs of my clients and my business. I am intentionally collaborative with clients, and I am not one to give up easily and pivot when required in business.

3. Encouraging Learning and Creativity:
My parents’ encouragement of exploration and education promoted a lifelong love for learning. As a child, I read lots of books for enjoyment. We took regular trips to the library for crafts and story time. Creativity was emphasized in our home, and various arts from fine arts, handicrafts, and life skills were taught. As a child, what seemed like fun play developed a drive for creativity, innovation, and adaptability in business. These two things, a love for learning and creativity, have allowed me to stay adaptable and resilient and continuously improve when problem-solving or developing new ideas, which are essential when owning a business.

4. Instilling Values and Morals:
The core values my parents instilled in me guide my ethical decision-making and leadership. Upholding these values in business practices builds trust with clients, partners, and employees, contributing to a solid and reputable brand. Those values and morals are central to the business brand. Prosper Counseling promotes the well-being of the whole person. This holistic approach includes all the parts: emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, and social. Our mission is to have healthy relationships while working to decrease anxiety and increase well-being.

A person’s values and morals are integral parts of their well-being. Clients desire to have these values incorporated when working with Prosper Counseling. The research on well-being confirms that when values are incorporated into a person’s life, they feel more authentically integrated and have a stronger sense of happiness and contentment. Being socially aware and empathic helps me understand diverse perspectives and address the needs of my business, community, and clients. Prosper Counseling’s values are inclusiveness and respect, challenging clients with kindness, and creating authentic connections for genuine transformation in the client.

By incorporating these lessons into my business practices, I have built a resilient, innovative, and ethical business. My parents’ foundations have not only shaped my character but also equipped me with the skills and mindset necessary for successful leadership and entrepreneurship.

Larissa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a licensed therapist, coach, and owner of a private practice owner of Prosper Counseling, a holistic mental health service for individuals’ emotional, mental, physical, social, and spiritual well-being. My therapeutic practice is unique because the services with me are all provided online from the convenience of your home.

Since I was young, I have known I wanted to help others live their best lives possible, but I did not know this would be through owning and running a private practice until I took my first college psych 101 course. I fell in love with learning how our brain and mind work together with the rest of our body! I began working in local counseling centers, neuropsychologist’s offices, and university settings and pivoted to telehealth about five years ago.

I primarily work with women with anxiety. I also see couples who want to improve their communication skills and connection, whether coming in for a tune-up or working through a difficult situation. I counsel residents of Missouri and Kansas and coach clients worldwide.

Women who find me are typically experiencing overthinking, spiraling thoughts, feeling overwhelmed by life, chronic stress from the work-life balance, or during their perinatal transition into motherhood. These symptoms can show up as irritability, worry cycles, negative self-talk, or an inner critic that is hard to stop. It typically spills over into their relationships as a professional, wife, or mom, creating emotional disconnect or tension in areas of life that are important to them. They may also have a background of trauma that they are ready to heal from, so it is no longer a trigger for them in their day-to-day living.

In my theoretical approach, I use both a mind and body approach. The client learns how to improve their well-being in their thoughts, emotions, and physical attunement to their nervous system regulation. I address the whole person’s needs, providing holistic and natural resources and creating space to emphasize one’s spirituality if they so choose.

I also present and speak on the psychoeducational aspects of mental health for schools, businesses, and other organizations. I teach about burnout, resilience, boundaries, the impact of trauma, anxiety, and self-care. I enjoy writing about mental health, supporting women and families with resources on my blog and website, and writing on other platforms.

I am most proud of seeing the transformation my clients have! When they complete their treatment plan goals, they are not the same person as when they started. They are confidently equipped with tools and resources and have healthier mindsets and self-care strategies. At the core, my clients all desire the same thing–to improve their well-being, to feel more connected to themselves and others, and to like the person they are becoming. It is truly profound and beautiful work done with the wellness of the whole individual in mind.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I have often thought about this question at different seasons in my life. I have many interests, hobbies, and goals that could have led me down other career paths. However, I am not sure how long-lasting they would have been. Working in mental health has been my only career for the past 15+ years. I have worked in various mental health settings since pursuing my bachelor’s degree, continuing on to acquire my master’s degree, and even further specializations and certifications to provide top level care.

The settings have changed, but the mission has remained the same—helping others improve their well-being. New research constantly reveals novel information about how our brain and body work together, so it never gets old for me! Nor does working with clients and hearing their stories, either! I feel truly honored when someone chooses to work with me, trusting me with their most personal and vulnerable parts that need healing. It’s not something that I take lightly.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The most significant pivot in my career has been twofold, personally and professionally. In 2019, I was on maternity leave with our third child. I was also learning to balance being a mom and business owner with a growing plate of responsibilities. As we all know, the world underwent lots of change that year. I switched my counseling services to telehealth to accommodate my client’s needs and have not looked back. Being an online mental health and wellness business allows more flexibility for my clients and myself.

Most of my clients come to me with the need for flexibility in their schedules. They may be nurses, doctors, dispatchers with overnight shifts, those who work from home, busy working moms, college students, or stay-at-home moms who find it hard to leave the house. Running a telehealth private practice allows mental health services to be provided to those who might otherwise not consider getting help due to their lack of time and commute to the location. Telehealth is an excellent option for these kinds of situations and needs.

Prosper Counseling carries multiple licenses and certifications, allowing services and care to be provided across state lines. This is an excellent options for those looking for something specific to their needs, who may travel frequently, looking for goodness of fit, or someone outside of their own personal network. This allows the client so many options to truly find a good match for their situation.

I wasn’t sure if how long services would remain as telehealth, no one really was. Back in 2020, we were taking it day by day. However, many have come to enjoy the convenience and flexibility it provides them. Interestingly enough, tele-behavioral health has been around since the 1980s, but it was in 2020 that it really made a wider footprint. Research reveals the outcome for clients are just as effective as in person and many clients decide to stick with telehealth when given the option and makes mental health services more accessible to those who need it.

Prosper Counseling is proud of where it started from and where it will continue to grow from here. We believe everyone is capable of prospering on their mental health journey to be well and to be whole!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.prospercounsel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larissa.darter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prospercounsel/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/prospercounsel/

Image Credits

Kyss Photo By Katie Santana