We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Kenville. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.

Hi Sarah, thanks for 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?

Before going back to school for my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, I worked in the corporate world for almost ten years. While I enjoyed some of the work, it was not something I was passionate about or could confidently say I wanted to do for the next 30+ years. Helping people was in my blood; my mother worked in helping professions, volunteered for many years, and instilled in me the importance of that work. A good friend at the time was a marriage and family therapist, so I spoke at length with her about her work, why she became a therapist, and what she enjoyed about it. After speaking with her, I was sold and went on to get my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy.

During and after my Masters program, I worked at a mental health clinic for a few years and then took the leap and set up my practice. While I initially worked with individuals and couples, I knew my passion was premarital counseling and education. After a couple of years, I decided to focus solely on this work.

Building my practice has taken time, money, and patience. Although I have grown my practice yearly, the first several years were challenging. I provide a one-time, lower-cost service and do not have the benefit of repeat customers. Much of my business depends on paid advertising through Google and The Knot and reviews. And I work in a business that can be stigmatized, keeping many couples from realizing the benefit of premarital counseling. I aim to continue growing my business while providing education about the benefits of building a strong relationship foundation.

My advice to those looking to start their own business is that, while the first few years may be challenging and it is important to be able to absorb some lean years financially, the payoff is worth it. I get to live my passion, do what I love every day, and have the freedom to run my business how I want to. It is not a “job” to grow my business and dedicate the resources and time needed to become successful. It also helps to differentiate yourself in the market, whether through a unique business name, starting a business in an underserved market, or doing creative marketing or advertising.

While starting a second career was a massive leap of faith and not without its challenges, it was the best decision I have ever made. I am lucky to pursue my passion for working with couples and helping them create healthy and happy partnerships.

Sarah, 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 offer premarital and relationship counseling and education to dating, engaged, newlywed, and same sex couples. I started my practice in 2016 after graduating with my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. One of my most significant transitions was returning to graduate school to begin a new counseling career after working in the corporate world for almost ten years.

I love working with engaged couples and giving them space to learn about each other and their strengths and growth areas as a couple. When it comes to getting married, much of the focus tends to be on “the big day.” Couples prepare for a successful wedding, but not necessarily for a successful marriage. I help them proactively get ahead of issues before they happen and learn how to effectively communicate and manage conflict, discuss expectations, and provide them with skills and tools needed to capitalize on their strengths and face challenges that may arise in their relationship.

One of the most rewarding things in my work is when a couple comes back after a session and tells me they implemented the skills and tools that we discussed in our sessions and saw improvement in their relationship. Sometimes they just needed a fresh perspective and open dialogue as motivation to make changes in their relationship. I appreciate that my clients share the innermost aspects of their relationship in a way that they may not with other people and trust me to help them build a stronger partnership.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Being an effective premarital counselor certainly requires education and training, but more importantly, it requires the ability to connect with people. It requires being non-judgmental, empathetic, and understanding. It requires providing a safe, neutral, supportive space for couples to have honest and sometimes difficult conversations. I am a coach and cheerleader for my couples, and I want them to come out of our sessions with skills and tools to build a healthy relationship foundation.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Because counseling is a personal, relationship-based service, reviews and referrals are the keys to my business. I have also spent more time writing blogs to position myself as a knowledgeable professional in my field and have seen traffic increase.

Contact Info:

Website: www.enrichyourrelationship.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/enrichyourrelationship
Instagram: @enrichyourrelationship