Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sequoyah Sherrill. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sequoyah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

No problem!! Yes, it is, but luckily for me, my first time around was not independently. Though I started Onmycouchhh independently, it was not my first time setting up a practice. My entrepreneurial journey began with Solid Ground Wellness, an outpatient mental health clinic I founded with two friends in 2017. When we started Solid Ground Wellness it was beyond daunting! Much of this was due to not having any real direction and having to learn things the hard way because of the lack of public information about starting a mental health practice. Some of the main steps to setting up a practice include getting paneled for insurance companies, investing in an electronic health record system, setting up a business bank account, establishing community partnerships in order to obtain referrals and clients as well as obtaining liability insurance. There are multiple additional steps but these were the initial primary steps that came with a multitude of challenges. The challenges each person faces will be unique to their situation, for us, our biggest challenge was staffing and managing the demand for services. Personally, I am a trained mental health therapist and therefore had issues trying to balance seeing clients with all of the administrative tasks that come along with running a mental health organization. Though it was and still is challenging, I would not trade it for the world. There will always be a challenge, however, there is also always a solution so I just keep going!

Sequoyah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Sequoyah, I am a licensed clinical psychotherapist, consultant, storyteller, and author. I got into the industry of mental health and therapy because I felt both my family and community were lacking a space to be seen and to discuss life’s trials and tribulations.

I co-founded and currently serve as COO of an Outpatient Mental Health Clinic in Maryland called Solid Ground Wellness where we provide a variety of services including therapy, psychiatric rehabilitation, and psychiatry. We service all clients from ages 5 to 99. We work to elevate the standard of self-care.

I am also the Founder and CEO of Onmycouchhh, LLC., a mental health consulting firm founded with the black community in mind. At Onmycouchhh, we work to shatter misconceptions, shift cognitions, and shed light on the silence and stigma surrounding mental health and the black community through our apparel, books, and community events/development.

What sets me apart from others is my compassion for others, love for my community, and my ability to make others feel seen and heard. I am most proud of being a black female therapist, and being able to provide culturally competent care. With there being so few of us in the mental health field, I feel that is my superpower!

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Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I would say build community, there are multiple hospitals, private practices, and other organizations willing to refer to you! I would encourage people to attend mental health events and join professional organizations that align with their practice. Establishing a niche or having an understanding of your clientele is also important in the growth stage as you want to place yourself, your business, and your services wherever your potential client/clients are. Additionally, I would say to be graceful with yourself during the process, growth is inevitable if you are authentic and provide a quality service. Also, keep in mind word of mouth is still a thing and very common within this field. For me personally, community building has been the most effective. Since its inception Solid Ground Wellness has not had any issues with maintaining or growing clientele. Through our strategic partnerships, we have been able to establish and maintain ample clientele, sometimes too much to handle.

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We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have had multiple instances of resiliency in my journey, thank GOD! One of the primary stories is the loss of my Mom at eleven. Her death was and will always be my biggest loss. I was raised primarily by my Aunt Dee, my mom’s sister with the help of other aunts and uncles. I do not know where I would be on this journey if it were not for them and so I credit all of my success and who I am to them, and the memory and legacy of my mother, Leavorn Holland.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.onmycouchhh.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sequoyah.sherrill
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sequoyah.sherrill/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sequoyahsherrill

Image Credits
Jaxon Photogroup Jack L. Manning III