We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Markiesha Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Markiesha below.
Markiesha, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?
Have you ever heard the saying “I didn’t choose this career, it chose me?” That’s how I feel regarding my profession as a clinical therapist. I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University with the plan to attend law school and become an attorney. But after graduating college and wanting to gain valuable work experience before going back to school, I switched my career path. After much experience in the field interning in the juvenile probation department, and my extensive career in Child Welfare, I knew that the population that I worked with had deeper underlining issues other than their criminal behavior. Mental Health was a major component to many of my clients’ bad choices in life. This, coupled with me finding out that my father was suffering from mental health prior to his passing prompted me to go back to graduate school and obtain my Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work. I wanted to make a greater impact at the clinical level by understanding the root causes to their challenges in terms of their mental health. In 2018, my father passed away, and in 2019 I graduated from MSU with honors (3.9 GPA) and obtained my Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work.
In 2020, I began working with a mentor that I met at my church who owned her own private practice. Literally, 3 months within my new position, the covid-19 pandemic hit. The world was practically shut down, and I went from having in-person support and supervision, to me completing sessions virtually on my own with limited guidance. I received a surplus of clients because so many people were struggling with their mental health during this time. I became resourceful, completing continuing education courses, purchasing books, and just educating myself on different modalities and evidence-based interventions so that I could provide the best services to my clients. During the pandemic is when I started studying for my licensing exam. I attended study prep classes virtually, purchased a study prep program, and started facilitating my own weekly study groups. I told myself that I’m “one and done” when it comes to taking this exam. I set a goal, mapped out my action plan, and successfully achieved that goal by passing my state board licensing exam on the very 1st attempt. I’m currently licensed in Michigan and Tennessee.
After completing 4000 clinical social work hours and passing my clinical social work licensing exam, I decided to start my own private practice. I launched Restorative Minds Counseling, PLLC. I couldn’t have done this without my amazing support system. I have a friend, Moniques Bates, who is also a mental health clinician whose private practice is based in Atlanta, GA. Monique and I went to middle school together, college, and end up working together for the Department of Health and Human Services. We didn’t get close until our adult life when we became coworkers. She outlined the steps I needed to take to start my Private Practice, and I’m so grateful for her guidance and willingness to help me throughout this tedious process.
Another intricate step in establishing a successful business is to have an accountability partner. I call my accountability partner my “business bestie.” She’s also a clinical therapist and we launched our private practice around the same time. I never understood how people who are in the same field or industry look at other people who are doing the same thing as competition. For me, it’s always been “collaboration over competition.” We can accomplish so much together rather than apart. In the field of mental health there is a scarcity of black mental health professionals and a surplus of individuals wanting support from BIPOC clinicians. I have a list of clinicians that I refer clients to when my practice is full.
It’s essential to have SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). First, identify your specific goal, then give yourself a reasonable and attainable deadline to accomplish that goal so that procrastination won’t get the best of you. Third, establish action steps on achieving that goal, and make sure they are measurable and you can track progress. Fourth, complete your market research. Identify what the steps are required to start your own firm/practice and identify your target population. Fifth, create a checklist, and start checking tasks off your list as you complete them. Sixth, it’s imperative to find either a mentor or accountability partner. Lastly, stay the course, and don’t allow self-doubt to stand in your way!
I honestly don’t think I would have done anything differently. My path was my path for a reason. I had some hiccups along the way, but I wouldn’t be able to help others if I didn’t make mistakes first! My advice to any young professionals who might be considering starting their own practice is to go for it! If you’re contemplating doing it because you don’t think you’re qualified or have the tenure of experience, that’s just that imposter syndrome talking. My 4000 plus hours of supervision and state licensure qualifies me to do what I do, and it will qualify you as well. Get out of your own head! Young professionals are breaking barriers, breaking generational trauma, being innovative, and breaking glass ceilings. The only person that can get in your way is YOU! You got this!
I am dually licensed in Michigan and Tennessee and I plan to offer consulting services in the future to help other aspiring mental health professionals who desire to open their own private practice one day.
Markiesha, 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?
My name is Markiesha Johnson, and I’m a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Michigan and Tennessee. I am the owner of Restorative Minds Counseling, PLLC, a private practice that offers mental health counseling services. My practice offers the following services: Individual Counseling, Group Counseling Sessions, and speaking engagements. The therapeutic process is not a sprint but a marathon, and I’m willing to support my clients every step of the way. I use evidence-based interventions and a trauma informed approach to help clients unpack the root causes to their challenges. My approach to therapy is cognitive-behavioral, strength-based, and trauma-informed. There is no one size fits all approach. Each client will be individually assessed, and the interventions used are tailored to the individual client based on their needs assessment. I provide a safe space, nonjudgmental, friendly, and professional environment.
I’m most proud of my ability to persevere during one of the most difficult times in my entire life. I lost my father unexpectedly in the middle of graduate school. Instead of dropping out, I finished with honors because that’s what my father would have wanted me to do. Given my own life transitions with the birth of my daughter and the death of my father, I benefited from receiving therapeutic services to help me cope with life’s challenges. As someone who has been on both sides of the table, I provide a unique perspective. I’m compassionate, empathetic, and dedicated to helping as many individuals as I can on their therapeutic journey.
Some of the issues that I work on with clients are: Depression, Anxiety, Anger Management, Emotional Disturbance, Life Transitions, Peer Relationships, Grief, Family Conflict, Trauma and PTSD, sleep disturbances or insomnia, self-harming, relationships, eating disorders, career counseling, and a host of others.
What I want potential clients to know who may have never been to therapy is what to expect. My philosophy is to meet clients where they are and allow them to heal at their own pace. YOU are the expect of your life, which is why I wish to build a collaborative relationship. My goal is to help clients navigate through this journey that we call “life’ by providing them with the necessary tools to overcome life’s obstacles.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele is honestly being listed on national counseling databases such as Psychology Today and Therapy for Black Girls. I pay a monthly subscription for both and my profile is published. Because we live in an era of technology and social networking, the most efficient way to market yourself is online. People can easily google therapists in their area, and filter through based on criteria. One of my intake questions for new clients is who is your referral source? Many say Psychology Today, or an internet search. I also participate in many community engagement events. I network with other organizations and businesses to market my private practice.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My second year of Graduate School, my father passed away unexpectedly. In one of my classes, I had to write a paper about one of the most difficult times in my life. I struggled with this assignment because I couldn’t quickly identify one specific thing. I end up writing about my brother who passed away when I was about 15. He was 25 when he died due to an aneurysm. Ironically, a week after I submitted my assignment, I received one of the most devastating calls in my life. My aunt called me hysterically and told me to get to my dad quick because he’s not feeling well. I sped down the freeway frantic, got about one block away from my dad’s home, and received another call. This was the call that changed my life forever. My aunt called me and said “I’m sorry baby, your dad didn’t make it.” When I walked into his home, my dad was laying down on his living room floor with a white sheet over him. The paramedics were there as well. I will never forget that image of my dad, as it was the last memory I have of him.
I took some time off from work, and the remaining few weeks left that I had from the summer school semester so that I could plan the funeral and cope with my grief. I immediately found a therapist who helped me tremendously to process my grief. I finished my program with honors, was inducted into the Phi Alpha National Honor’s Society, and I obtained my Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work. I knew that although my dad wasn’t physically present, he was with me spiritually. I dedicated my degree to him. He played an important role in my life and was a major support throughout my graduate studies. I went back to school when my daughter was just 1 years old, while being employed full time. My father was retired, so he was my baby sitter, and he loved watching his granddaughter. This unexpected tragedy allowed me to build character and resiliency. Now, I’m able to help clients who are also struggling with losing a loved one. I’m a living example of what resilience looks like. I credit this to my individual mental health journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: myrestorativemindscounseling.com
- Instagram: mj.millennial.therapist
- Linkedin: Markiesha Johnson
- Other: Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
All of the images are of myself (Markiesha Johnson), with the exception of my brand logo.