We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Renee Minx a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Renee, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?
One of the best things I’ve done to show appreciation for my clients and community came after Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, North Carolina – city I once called home. Asheville gave me so much during the years I lived there, so when the storm destroyed beloved landmarks, businesses, and mountains, I wanted to give back in the way I knew best. I offered free group therapy sessions to help people process their grief and trauma in the aftermath of the natural disaster. These gatherings weren’t about me gaining anything – they were about holding space for a community I love, helping neighbors connect with each other, and supporting emotional healing in a time of collective loss. For many, just knowing they weren’t alone and had a safe place to process made all the difference.
Another moment that stands out was when I took a chance on a teenage client early in my career. In graduate school, we’re warned that working with youth under 18 carries high litigation risks, and because of that, I had avoided it. But when this young woman reached out, struggling with daily suicidal thoughts, I felt such a deep pull of empathy that I chose to walk with her through the risk. Week by week, she promised she wouldn’t take her life without talking to me first, and I showed up for her consistently, even when the work felt scary. Years later, she told me something that made us both cry: “If you hadn’t taken me on, I probably wouldn’t be here.” Today, she is thriving… more emotionally intelligent than most adults I meet, in a healthy relationship, grounded in her body, able to set boundaries, and alive in every sense of the word.
Both of these experiences reminded me that showing appreciation isn’t always about a gift or a gesture – it’s about unconditional presence. It’s about seeing people fully, taking risks for them, and giving from the heart. Whether it’s an entire community after a natural disaster or one vulnerable teenager in crisis, the best way I can show appreciation is by choosing love, courage, and connection over fear.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I often say I became a therapist because of my own trauma. There’s a term called the wounded healer – someone who has walked through pain and now uses that experience to guide others. That’s me. I grew up in an environment of extreme abuse, and I live with complex PTSD and ADHD. From a young age, people were drawn to confide in me. I think they could sense that I wouldn’t judge them, and that I could hold space for their darkest truths with compassion. That gift has carried into my life’s work.
Today, I specialize in helping women heal from complex PTSD, especially when it stems from narcissistic relationships or childhood trauma. My approach is trauma-informed, holistic, and deeply rooted in nervous system regulation. I combine evidence-based modalities like EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and somatic experiencing with mind–body practices that help survivors reconnect with themselves. Together, we focus on learning how to feel safe in the body again, to quiet the overthinking mind, to stop doubting intuition, and to begin truly trusting and loving oneself after abuse.
What sets me apart is the way I bring both professional expertise and lived experience into my work. I don’t approach my clients from a place of pity or superiority-I see them as warriors. Survivors are some of the strongest people in the world, and my role isn’t to “save” them, but to help them remember that they already have the strength and wisdom inside to save themselves. I simply help them reconnect with that inner power.
I’m most proud that I’ve turned my own darkest pain into something that lights the path for others. I’m proud of my integrity – I take confidentiality and boundaries seriously, and my clients know they can trust me completely. But most of all, I’m proud that I genuinely care. I truly love the people I work with, and it means the world to me to witness them rise – whether that looks like setting their first boundary, reconnecting with their body, or rediscovering joy after years of surviving.
If there’s one thing I want potential clients and readers to know about me and my work, it’s this: healing is possible. No matter how deep the pain or how long you’ve felt broken, you are not beyond repair. You are not alone. And you have everything you need inside of you to heal – I’m simply here to walk with you, remind you of your strength, and help you come home to yourself again.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
What has truly built my reputation is simple: the voices of my clients. I’ve been in the helping profession for over a decade, and while degrees, certifications, and specialized training matter, nothing speaks louder than the real stories of transformation from people whose lives have changed through our work together.
Word of mouth has been the most powerful driver of my growth – one client’s healing often inspires another to reach out. And because I take my work, my integrity, and my clients’ trust so seriously, I’m proud to say I have only five-star reviews across every platform -Google Business, Psychology Today, and even on my Instagram highlights, where I share client testimonials. These reviews aren’t just about me – they’re reflections of the bravery, growth, and breakthroughs my clients have achieved.
For anyone running a business, especially in a service-based field, I believe reputation is built on two things: the quality of the work you deliver and the way you make people feel. My clients know I genuinely care about them, that I honor their privacy, and that I see them as strong, capable humans – not as broken or in need of saving. That kind of trust naturally leads to referrals and authentic reviews. When potential clients see that others similar to them have not only survived but thrived, it helps them believe in the possibility of their own healing.
At the end of the day, reviews and word of mouth aren’t just marketing – they’re sacred. They’re someone saying, “This worked for me, and it could work for you too.” And that is the most powerful reputation-builder of all.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
One of the clearest examples of resilience in my journey has been my relationship with school. I recognize now that I have three diagnoses: complex PTSD, ADHD, and dyslexia. The traditional Western education system -so focused on sitting still, reading quietly, and paying close attention – wasn’t built for the way my brain works. Dyslexia made reading difficult, ADHD made it hard to focus, and trauma made everything feel heavier.
But what could have broken me actually built me. Because the system wasn’t designed for me, I had to get creative. I learned how to think outside the box, find alternative ways to learn, and strengthen parts of my brain others didn’t have to. Over time, I realized those struggles were also gifts – they gave me unique perspectives, creativity, empathy, and problem-solving skills. I often share one of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein: “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it’s stupid.” For years, I felt like that fish. But eventually, I discovered I wasn’t broken – I just needed to swim in the waters where I could thrive.
On top of that, my father, who had narcissistic personality disorder, often told me I wasn’t smart enough for college. He said I should give up on education and go straight into the workforce. For a long time, I internalized those words. But instead of letting them define me, I used them as fuel. Not only did I graduate with my undergraduate degree, I went on to earn a master’s degree in social work. A year after graduating, I was invited back as the chosen alumni speaker at a UNC graduation. I became the Clinical Director at an addiction treatment center. I delivered a TEDx talk. And today, I run my own business helping people heal from the very kinds of trauma I endured.
Looking back, I’m proud not just of the titles and achievements, but of the fact that I proved to myself that intelligence takes many forms. To anyone who has struggled in school – or in life – because of differences in how you learn or because of the weight of trauma, I want you to know this: your struggles may be shaping superpowers you haven’t even identified yet. Resilience isn’t about never stumbling… it’s about finding the strength to rise, to keep going, and to create a life beyond what others believed was possible for you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mettahealing.org
- Instagram: @reneeminx
- Facebook: @ReneeMinx
- Linkedin: Renee Minx
- Other: Tiktok: @ReneeMinx
