Today we’d like to introduce you to Celina “Alexis” Lopez.
Hi Celina “Alexis”, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
The story of how I started a counseling practice started with family. Family is a common thread throughout this journey. After graduating and obtaining my license to practice I worked for several non-profit agencies. I enjoyed my time and all I Iearned. While on maternity leave with my second child (we also had a four year old), my director shared there would be big changes upon my return that would require working evenings. Knowing this wouldn’t work for my family, I quickly (and desperately) decided to go out of my own. I had no knowledge of business or running a private practice. I started in a small office at a doctor’s office and did a lot of in home therapy to make it work. I “made it work” for far too long. In 2023 I decided I wanted to change my practice. I took classes and learned so much about building a practice that wouldn’t burn me out. In 2020, COVID overwhelmed the mental health field, with so many needing services and video sessions making them more accessible, I was very burned out. The classes taught me to value my expertise and the services I was providing to my clients. I still have more aspirations of growing the services I provide but have also resigned to the fact that I still have kids who need quite a bit from me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wonder if anyone’s road has been smooth? My certainly was not. I have had the typical challenges that all private practice owners in healthcare face. Establishing consistent referral sources, figuring out taxes, navigating the grueling landscape of insurance, to name a few bumps along the way. Referrals fluctuate throughout the year with slumps that cause feelings of scarcity and doubt about whether I should’ve started a practice in the first place. Insurance is a beast to understand. Still is. Period. The biggest challenge I think I faced was loneliness in the business. I didn’t keep in close contact with fellow practice owners to learn from or to create community with. As a therapist, I know and talk about the importance of connection and community with clients but neglected to recognize I needed it along this bumpy road, so that the bumps wouldn’t feel as… well bumpy.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Balance Counseling?
Balance Counseling is a counseling practice that provides therapy services to teens and adults throughout San Antonio and Texas who are facing struggles with parenting, relationships of all kinds, ADHD, stress, anxiety, self esteem, and perfectionism. Services are offered in office and virtually. If my clients were polled after sessions with me I think they would agree I am passionate about teaching healthy boundaries with relationships. Without boundaries, relationships won’t survive, and without relationships, WE can’t survive. It’s magical to watch individuals develop healthy boundaries and build healthy relationships with loved ones. It’s like a whole new lens for them to see through. Something I’d love readers to know about how I work, is that my biggest goal is make anyone who sits on the cozy couch in my office feel that I am first and foremost thier supporter, I am never there to judge or criticize. We all have unique stories that got us to where we are and they deserve compassion and understanding.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
First. know that being unsure and having self doubt is part of the journey. No ones knows what they haven’t learned yet. It’s easy to feel like you don’t know what you’re doing as a young therapist/counselor. Knowing it’s part of the journey will hopefully help ease fears that you’ve made the wrong career choice.
Second, make connections. Make connections with other therapist/counselors. Not just for networking but for avoiding loneliness in this field. Probably in any field. When you have others to consult with, commiserate with, and share successes with it can make all the difference for you as a professional. This also helps (among other strategies) avoid burn out.
Pricing:
- Insurance Accepted
- Individual Sessions $150
- Group Sessions $40
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.balancecounselingtx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balancecounselingtx
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/balancecounselingtx
