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

Madelyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

After high school and the death of a good friend, I went into college not sure of what I wanted to do future wise and not really right minded to make big decisions. Initially, I thought about going into healthcare and started in a nursing program following advice from others, however shortly after I decided that teaching was a better fit. Over my teaching career, I worked for private schools, charter schools, and public school systems. During those years, experiences with families helped me understand that I wanted to do something that I could help the entire family and as a teacher I was limited with my options. One experience in particular showed me that the desire to go back to school and get licensed as a counselor in mental health was the right move for me. Many times, teachers have the best intentions by passing knowledge about students to the next years teachers, however, prejudices are also passed down as well. One year, I had the pleasure of working with a great team who were all knew at the school with me and were like minded with me about keeping an open mind about students and not using the information from the previous teachers. My classroom was the inclusion classroom for behaviors, language, and needs. There were several students that previous teachers had labeled as disruptive, not cooperative, lazy, not motivated, and possibly not going to achieve the needed grades and scores to pass the grade level for the second time. By creating a classroom that was a safe place to explore, experiment, and support each other; these students opened up more, took responsibility, found both internal and external motivation, was able to succeed in changing how they were viewed, passed the grade and the next one, and built a community with the parents and students. This experience helped me see that the passion that I had to help others change their perspectives of themselves can help others perceive them differently, work towards their own goals, and how to build friendships and support systems. I take the lessons, skills, and techniques I have learned through my education and experiences working as a license counselor and teacher and apply them to my work today and share them with my clients.

Madelyn, 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 native Houstonian who graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Houston Baptist University. Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked as an elementary school teacher for over 7 years. While teaching, I worked for a treatment facility that specialized in adolescent and adult substance use treatment. After transitioning into counseling full-time, I worked for a program that offered counseling for those in the Juvenile Justice Department to provide individual, family and group counseling services. Additionally, I have experience working with individuals, couples and families in a private practice setting. I am currently attending Liberty University earning a Ph.d in PHD: Organization & Management: Executive Coaching.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

In the mental health field, I feel that marketing and networking are crucial to being successful in this field. Knowing how to market one’s skills and specialty will help attract clients that match the services being offered and what they are looking for in a mental health practitioner as well. Networking helps increase referral streams, increasing knowledge and skills through consultation and training opportunities.

Any advice for managing a team?

Feedback measures are important not only to allow for employees to know how they are performing, if they are meeting the goals and aims of the organization, but to allow for employees to provide feedback on how management and leadership are performing as well. Feeling heard and that employees have a voice is important in any industry.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/madelyn-nance-172b8583
• Other: https://thrivefamilycounseling.com/locations/sugar-land/maddie-nance/