Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Spring Berriman, a Registered Psychotherapist, based in Peterborough, ON, CA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm a registered psychotherapist who works online with clients throughout Ontario. I think it's important that people I work with see me as a person and that I am not put on a pedestal because I'm a psychotherapist. I believe in creating a strong therapeutic alliance with my clients, so they feel understood and heard and know I'm here to support them. Empowering young women to see in themselves who they are and their capabilities are something that I'm very passionate about. I work with folks that at 16 years and up. Most clients I attract seek help/guidance with anxiety, resiliency and trauma, life transitions, self-esteem/confidence, and disordered eating. Clients appreciate my gentle yet straightforward approach. "In the nicest way possible," "There's no other way for me to say this," and "I'm going to say something you might not like" are things clients will hear from me.
Tell us about yourself
I've always wanted to be a psychotherapist since I knew it was a thing as a little girl. My choice to return to school came about after spending 15+ years in the real estate industry. I was reading an article one day about a developer that tore down a large amount of 100+-year-old trees despite knowing they would be fined, and a minimal one at that. That was a visceral moment, and I knew I had to leave the industry. That night, I went home and looked for a school and was enrolled within a couple of weeks.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
This is a hard one, and it's a toss-up between the two.
- Seeing clients create for themselves the change they wanted and seeing them proud of their healing.
- Creating a course to help my colleagues and peers pass our board exam.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Boundaries with myself. There is always something to update, a note to write, an email to respond to. I love what I do, but downtime is very important to ensure I show up at my best for my clients.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Take imperfect action - you can only edit and fix something so many times. Your 80% is someone else's 100%.
- Set up a separate workspace at home or office; creating a separate space helps you step into a different energy "work mode" and build good habits.
- Flexibility and adaptability - to be open to new and different ideas, thoughts, and learning.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
As a psychotherapist, I'm here to help and support clients, but I'm also here to help them with what no longer serves them, long-ingrained habits, or lifetime behaviors. That means sometimes, I ask the hard questions or say the things and bring into session what is quite uncomfortable or very hard. The art of psychotherapy is maintaining a safe space for clients to understand and hear what's happening. The discomfort is where the work is.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thebeachpsychotherapy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toronto.beach.psychotherapy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toronto.beach.therapy/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ApmNxW
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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