27 Jun
Uncategorized

The pandemic and waiting lists

2020 brought in a lot of changes for Moving Forward Counseling. The early portion of the year was scary with so much uncertainty due to the pandemic and what life would look like in the future. At first, Moving Forward Counseling switched sessions to telehealth only. Then after some time, and learning about how to better control transmission, we welcomed people back into the office for in-person sessions. As some of you know, you have seen the business grow from just one counselor in a tiny office by the freeway to a much larger space and multiple therapists coming in and out. The pandemic has brought about shortages in nearly every industry. We all remember toilet paper and Clorox Wipes disappearing. Well, another shortage created by the pandemic is available therapists.  It has been exciting to watch Moving Forward Counseling grow and be able to offer so many people the help they need. It is also difficult to see how quickly things have been filling up and therapists filling up their schedules while so many are still looking for help. One solution is to hire more therapists but… that has proven to also be difficult, but we are trying as hard as we can to hire the right folks who can come aboard and help the people who are coming to us for help.

We know how difficult things have been over the past year plus. We thank you for having the courage to reach out and find help. It is so difficult making finding a therapist a priority because so many other things seem to be more important. This is why it is so difficult to tell someone who has the courage to seek out help that there is a “waiting list.”

Please keep holding on and we are going to get you help. It may take a little longer than anyone wants, but it will come. Here is an article discussing this issue and some helpful tips.

Please be well and thank you for visiting.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-pandemic-has-taken-a-serious-toll-on-mental-health-what-happens-when-its-over

 

 

 

23 Mar
Uncategorized

How Moving Forward Counseling Began

I started Moving Forward Counseling in November of 2017.

 

It began as my dream of having my own practice. I had hopes it would grow into something in the future where I could be busy enough seeing clients that it could be my only job, but initially, it was a “sometimes job” that was only after hours and on weekends. I worked full-time for Turning Point Centers as a therapist at their residential treatment centers in Sandy, Utah. I realized it was relatively simple to start a private practice. All you need is some office space, a couch and a chair. So, I really had no excuse not to get things started. Ok, it took a little more effort than that. If any of you remember the initial logo and website I designed, I sincerely apologize. I am definitely not a creative artist. The first office was on 300 West, just west of I-15. It was a great little office to start with.

 

It was interesting going through growing pains of becoming a business owner and finding out so many little surprises of things I was doing wrong. Luckily, I was not doing anything too illegal and irreparable. Side note, prior to deciding to become a counselor, I was a recruiter and briefly started my own business. I did not make a single dollar with my other business so the very first client I had at Moving Forward Counseling, I already made more money than any past business venture. I was stoked.

 

While balancing being a family man, working a full-time job helping people work through addiction and mental illness issues, and creating a new business, I started to see things growing for Moving Forward Counseling. In 2018, it was a roller coaster of being busy, then less busy. Billing wise, I had no idea what I was doing. I was simply happy people were coming to see me and their insurance was paying me. In 2019, I committed to getting more serious about understanding the billing and insurance process more in order to better support the clients, as well as make sure I was understanding how to navigate growth challenges in the future.

 

In May of 2019, I moved Moving Forward Counseling into an upgraded office off 9400 south and 700 East in Sandy. It was right around this time things began to get busy enough that I was starting to a path to leaving my full-time job and possibly achieving my dream of working for myself and being able to support my family. Throughout that summer, my schedule became more and more busy, and I finally took the plunge and committed to working for myself full-time in November 2019. I realized something on my second day of working for myself. This was the first time in my life of not having co-workers. It was exciting to be on my own and being my own boss, but I realized I had nobody to chat with throughout the day about all those co-workers’ things people chat about. I decided quickly I was not interested in continuing to work on my own and my goal was to hire co-workers I could share my days with once again.

 

March of 2020 was a whirlwind of emotions. I had plans with a former colleague to join my practice. I was honored to be trusted by her to join Moving Forward Counseling, but also overwhelmed with the responsibility of not only keeping the business growing for myself and my family, but now adding the responsibility of my colleague and her family. She joined Moving Forward Counseling at the end of March 2020, amid a global pandemic locking everyone in Utah down and the uncertainty around everything. So, I finally had a friend to work with again, but we were only doing video sessions and were not in the office together until the summer. While 2020 proved difficult for so many, the unfortunate reality is professionals in the mental health field get busier as things get worse. Moving Forward Counseling was growing and needed to take the next step.

 

In February of 2021, Moving Forward Counseling moved into the Life Center Building at 9844 South 1300 East in Sandy. I moved the business into a much larger office space so we could handle the needs of the people needing help and have enough therapists and space to give them the help they need. Currently, as of March 22, 2021, Moving Forward Counseling has nine employees, including myself. It is surreal walking out of my office and looking at several closed doors knowing healing is going on in those rooms. It has been a crazy ride in what seems like a short amount of time, but I am proud of the work that is being done and am looking forward about the upcoming chapters ahead for Moving Forward Counseling.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this.