We were lucky to catch up with Tasca Tolson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tasca , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

The legacy that I hope to leave behind would simply be to align with the agency mission statement which is “Encouraging individual improvement for community empowerment and healing”. As I have grown into my responsibilities, I recognize that I am setting a standard of living that embraces treating others in a respectful way that promotes healing. I would like for the norm when interacting with others to be through a trauma informed approach where everyone is kinder than necessary as you never know what the next person is going through. There are soo many individuals who go through life holding on to what hurts them the most and I hope people learn how to release and heal to actually live and not jut exisit.

Tasca , 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?

Well, as I had previously shared, I have always been a lifelong helper. When reflecting I was one of the youths in elementary school that would volunteer in the room for children with different abilities. Also, being the eldest child in my home and one of the eldest cousins on both sides of my family, looking out for others was a foundational value that I have always held onto. My first license that I earned was a cosmetology license. Scoring a 96 on the state boards let me know that I could achieve anything that I put my mind to. Those who are in the field of cosmetology recognize that the relationship between a stylist and their client is one of the most sacred, honest, and therapeutic relationships that one will have. I loved the work but did not like having to work every Saturday, working for commission, or the limited benefits that can accompany being in the field eventually led me to going back to school to find different opportunities that would align more with lifestyle that would allow stability for my family.

While navigating my collegiate career, family, and growing into my being I have worked in multiple fields that have given me invaluable experience that allows me to support my clientele in a unique way. I have worked in low-income housing, department of corrections, mental health institutions, youth facilities, daycares, real estate, insurance, teaching, rehab facilities and counseling on the short list. My biggest educational accomplishment includes obtaining my GED in 1996 and being able to walk across the stage in August of 2024. I have also earned degrees in Criminal Justice, Human Services, and by a dear friend Erin Reynolds promtpted me to get my master’s in Education and Counseling. The journey has included navigating uncertain roads, kicking through dead ends, and being willing to face the unknown and trusting God.

Fast forward to 2024, our agency has continued to evolve to support the mission of “Encouraging individual improvement for community empowerment and healing”. We are one of two agencies in the area that provide a Batterer Intervention Program (BIP) for men and the only one for women. We also provide therapy, anger management services, training, psychoeducational mental health group support, and other mental health resources to support individual and agency needs. Outside of being a grandmother, one of the things that I am most proud of, is being able to continuously provide support through and past the pandemic that promotes health, wellbeing, and healing.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Forbes tells us that most business do not live five years and only about 30% will make it to their tenth year of business. At TMT Consulting we have been blessed to make it past both of these important mile markers. If there was a time that I thought that end was near, it would have definitely been in March of 2020. I can remember vividly the day that I was sitting in a supervision meeting and all our phones received notifications at the same time. We had gotten the notification that our children would not be returning to school indefinitely. My first thought was, what to do with a first grader? My second thought was, what to do about groups. If it was not safe to be around other individuals what do you do when your primary service involves being in a group setting in a small room?

This was definitely a time when my core military values that I grew up with as a child kicked in. What do you do when obstacles are thrown your way? You adapt, improvise and overcome. I think TMT Consulting, along with others who were able to survive, took a crash course in how to run a business during a pandemic. I had to figure out how to take payments and run a group online with individuals who were mandated for services. I had to research telehealth and how to still be an effective counselor and teacher, and establish group norms, when not in the room with individuals who may benefit the most from in person interaction. As restrictions lifted we figured out how to continue to improvise by holding groups in the parking lot, placing large sticky notes on the side of my vehicle to be as effective as possible. Eventually moving into being able to be comfortable enough in a room to wear masks and use air filters meet the needs of individuals who were navigating the criminal justice system and legal mandates.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of clients for TMT Consulting has been my clients. It may sound cliché but, when you love what you do it’s not work. We do very little advertising but have a decent social media presence. We aim to treat all our clients with respect and dignity. When counseling I tell my clients that one of my goals is for them to fire me as they have learned the tools needed to reach their optimal level of living. I have dubbed myself the Resource Queen. I know what I know, and I know what I don’t know, but I have a decent community network that allows me to point my people in the right direction to make sure that they get the right support that they need. I have found being genuine, authentic, and being able to admit when you are wrong will leave you with an overflow of work and trying to figure out how you can do more to meet the needs of who you serve.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.tmtconsultingmo.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmt_consulting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndividualImprovementForEmpowerment
• Linkedin: TMT Consulting a Community Mental Health Agency
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVlmQuPx51a0Df3kJX9QN1g
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/TolsonBIP

  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasca-tolson-med-lpc-certified-alcohol-drug-counselor-grief-bip-ctp-aa89a620/