LET'S BE REAL:
MOST COUNSELORS ARE AFRAID OF BUSINESS- BUT YOU'RE ONE OF THE BRAVE FEW
We are taught how to serve; not how to sell. We are encouraged to do "self-care," but that doesn't seem to include living wages, being home before dark, or unplugging on vacations. We're trained to advocate for systemic change, everywhere except in our own field.
We are a profession conditioned to believe that "we aren't in it for the money." But therapists are waking up. And if you're reading this, you know it too: Your 100k of student debt isn't going to be paid off by agency caseloads, second jobs, insurance companies bossing you around, unethical fee-splitting, and starting a career already burnt-out.
You realize there must be a different way to be a counselor. A more sustainable way to help people, while also supporting yourself.
You believe in a world where therapists can be happy, healthy, and even wealthy. I believe in it too.
I believe in it because I've experienced it myself.
And I'll help you experience it too.
We're not just playing around with generic business advice. This is where business principles-meet-clinical practice.
But not any average business guru understands the unique ethical nuances of running a mental health biz. That's why you want a clinician-coach to support your growth :)
I'm a Licensed Therapist (IN) and Nationally Certified Counselor, with 5 years of counseling experience. With no prior business knowledge, I quickly scaled my private practice from zero, to multiple-six figures in less than 3 years.
I'll hold nothing back, bringing you the skills and strategy of a business coach, paired with the ethical and clinical competency of an experienced counselor. I call this clinically relevant business coaching.
By pairing your passion, my experience, and both of our unique expertise, I'll help you build (and grow) something special!
counselors can be happy, healthy, and even wealthy.
i'll show you how!
HOW WE GOT HERE
FROM INTUITIVE NUDGES
I started my counseling career as a high school counselor at a large suburban school. My long-term plan was to work in education for about 10 years and then transition into private practice for the remainder of my career.
After about 3 years, I knew there was something more for both my career and my personal life. I was craving adventure, creative freedom and expression, more balance and benefits, a different kind of impact, and better alignment to my values. I was also tired of being treated as "less-than" as a helping professional. I was BURNT OUT.
I started to consider private practice as an option, but was overwhelmed at the foreign concept of being a business owner.
Meanwhile, I started experimenting with different modalities of caring for my students; noticing the powerful effects of incorporating outdoor walk-and-talk sessions with clients...
the good the hard and the ugly
TO INNOVATIVE PRACTICES
I began to research and read about utilizing movement and nature (eco-therapy) as assets to the therapeutic treatment process and quickly fell in the love with the idea of building an outdoor-based therapy practice.
While this is more common in western states and areas with more access to nature, this was a rare business model to have in Indiana, let alone the midwest.
I consulted with seasoned eco-therapists, did even more research and Hemlock Counseling Services was born. Except that....I knew NOTHING about running a business (or so I thought...).
I had a strong vision but felt totally overwhelmed by the prospect of creating a business. So I hired my own business coach. This was an incredibly helpful experience, and yet my coach wasn't always sure how to navigate the nuances that make running a clinical practice unique and sometimes tricky. Marketing as a counselor looks different than marketing as a plumber!
TO INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM
So I learned. I tried. I failed many times and succeeded even more times. Trial and error was the name of the game. Eventually, I found that sustainable sweet spot, at the intersection of business-meets-clinical work.
Then a lot of incredible things happened.
Professionally:
-
Interviewed in several forms of press, including local tv news, Women's Health magazine, podcasts, etc.
-
Multiple city government offices invited me to create programming around mental health in the outdoors.
-
Quadrupled my previous salary, continued growing past multi-six figures.
-
Won awards in my community, including Indiana Counselor of the Year (2023) and an Occupational Wellness Award for Urban Women (2022).
-
Was offered an adjunct teaching job for a CMHC masters program at my alma mater and keynote/speaking opportunities nationally.
-
Invited to collaborate on eco-therapy projects internationally
Personally:
-
My relationships improved
-
My confidence grew
-
Invested in my physical health.
-
Started new sports and hobbies.
-
Took multiple week-long trips, generous PTO, and left my laptop at home.
-
Provided myself health insurance, investments, retirement, etc.
I found creative diversity in my work in order to prevent burn out and discovered how to have a business that I run, not a business that runs me.
I've experimented with everything from self-publishing books and podcast production to evergreen "passive" income like digital courses.
Even before I had it "figured out" mental health professionals from all over the country (and even the world) started to reach out to me for guidance and support of how to create the same kind of work for themselves.
I've come to the conclusion that just because I did the whole trial-and-error thing while building my business, doesn't mean that every other counselor has to. The quicker counselors can grow their businesses, the quicker clients can get the help that they deserve. And counselors deserve to grow thriving businesses that take care of themselves, so that they can serve others from a place of health and security.
I firmly believe that counselors do better clinical work when they feel secure in their business practices.
The way I see it, when another counselor wins, I win. When one of us wins, we all win. So that's what I do now....I help other counselors (like you!) win.
oh hey, that's me!
WHY COACHING?
Maybe you've made the same observation that I have: Many private practice owners have a difficult time making ends meet, so they make up the difference by offering consultation and expensive supervision. Other counselors believe that the only way to thrive is by running a group practice or by becoming famous on TikTok.
If that's your thing...that's fine and dandy, but what about those of us who have no desire to be famous, don't want to run a group practice, and do not feel good making ends meet via unethically expensive supervision.
I hear you! I'm with you! I want to have my sustainable solo practice, diversify my work so that it feels interesting to me, and keep my private life private.
This is where I stand out in the coaching game. I've built this successful, sustainable business BEFORE offering business coaching, and I'm not a famous influencer. I've acquired six figures as a solo practice clinician first. Period.
This isn't about making ends meet to me. This is about changing the culture of private practice. Empowering quality clinicians to live a life that they deserve and to take up space as business owners.
And honestly, it's about finally offering a service that is massively in-demand. As early as 6 months into starting my business I was getting calls from therapists across the country asking to learn about business practices from me. I'm frequently solicited for business coaching and consultation, without having done a second of advertising for this service. And clients tell me every week that my business stands out in the marketplace.
I am good at what I do. And I believe that therapists are far more capable than what they are told.
I'm here to tell you: You CAN run a successful, sustainable, soul-fulfilling solo practice. You don't have to dance on Tik-Tok (unless you wanna). You don't have to take on supervises and charge them an arm and a leg (unless you wanna). You don't have to work weekends or evenings (unless you wanna).
I have made MANY mistakes on my journey. I didn't exactly have an atlas telling me where to go. It's been messy, scary, and uncertain at times. I've gotten very acquainted with "failure" and revisiting the drawing board. I've cried and cussed, hidden under the covers, stumbled...and even face-planted many times.
But here's the thing: I've learned from every face-plant that there really is no Plan B — only an ever-evolving Plan A.
With me as your coach, be prepared to get curious and compassionate with yourself. To have a lot of fun experimenting, and to fully access your inner hype-woman! Tap into a powerful blend of: internal growth meets next-level business strategy.
You’ll heal from your professional past, learn skills and tools to create a work-life you're proud of, and live adventurously along the way.
This is where your CEO story begins. This is where business-meets-clinical. I'm so excited to get started.
this is what work-hard, play-hard means to me
IF YOU'RE STILL HERE, YOU MUST BE READY, SO LETS GO!
SOME FACTS
-
Kelsee Minkis, MS, LMHC, NCC
-
Indiana University Bloomington, School of Public Health 2016. BS Applied Health Science. Human Development and Family Studies. Human Sexuality
-
Butler University 2019. MS Education. School Counseling. Mental Health Counseling
-
Indiana Counselor of the Year 2023
-
Occupational Wellness Award for Urban Women 2022
-
Adjunct Professor. Butler University, College of Education, Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. 2023 - Present.
-
Cat mom. Known to drink maple syrup from the bottle. Sock-sleeper. Enneagram 4.