Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Cortnie S. Baity, LMFT.
Dr. Baity, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Dr. Cortnie S. Baity, LMFT, but you can call me whatever feels comfortable to you. Many call me Dr. Cortnie, Dr. Baity, Dr. C, or Doc.
I am the owner of Onward and Upward Psychotherapy & Consulting Services, LLC. We are a Tallahassee, FL-based, online (mental health) therapy practice. I am fully licensed in the states of Florida (MT4057) and Georgia (MFT001905). This allows me to serve all Florida and Georgia residents in need of therapy.
Currently, I provide online mental health therapy to individuals, couples, and whole family systems, helping people to navigate a wide range of mental health and relationship problems.
I’ve always been fascinated with gaining a better understanding of the human psyche, behavior, and relationships. This lead me on 11 years of college course of study, earning a B.S. in Psychology from Florida State University (2013), a M.S. in Family Science (emphasis in Couple and Family Therapy) from the University of Kentucky (2016), and a Ph.D. in Human Development & Family Science from Florida State University in 2020. Subsequent of my studies, I decided to commit my life to help people move toward better conditions in both their mental health and relations. Hence the name of my private practice.
I am a firm believer in having several tools in your tool kit to help manage relationships, life stressors, tough moments, and intrusive painful memories. Therapy is one of them.
I knew I wanted to open my own practice since 2016. This was always an ongoing conversation between myself and my post-master’s degree clinical internship mentor. I just waited until I got ample clinical and business experience, working with and for someone else before venturing out on my own. Plus, I needed to wait until I reached full Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist status before launching my own practice.
Prior to launching, I also worked as a contracted therapist for a private group practice for nearly three years prior to launching my own. I learned a lot of the business side of private practice through this experience. I also gathered information on how to build a successful private therapy practice from various sources, including books, courses, professional groups, and mentors. I recorded and saved everything I learned so I could refer back to it once I was ready to launch. When I felt ready to leave my full-time clinical job at the Department of Veteran Affairs, I prayed about it, filed my LLC documents, submitted my letters of resignation, and launched.
I launched my business in May 2021. My practice was about 20% full when I initially launched due to the majority of my clients who I worked with at the private group practice were able to follow me to my practice when I left the group practice. Currently (May 2022) my practice is approximately 80% full. Definitely rapid growth for a private pay-only practice. Every day I get to talk to new people and learn. It’s been an amazing experience. It is a blessing, a privilege, and honor to serve how I serve.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would claim that my journey into entrepreneurship has been a relatively smooth road. I attribute this to the many years of exposure to entrepreneurship in various industries over the years prior to launching my business. I believe these first-hand (behind the scenes) observations of owning a business greatly helped my transition from employee to self-employed. As with all new experiences and growth, there is an element of trial and error and learning as you grow. To some, this aspect of business ownership may be viewed as a negative but I’ve always been able to appreciate a good challenge. Challenges are necessary for growth.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Onward and Upward Psychotherapy and Consulting Services, LLC is a Tallahassee, FL-based private (mental health) therapy practice serving all Florida and Georgia residents. I am currently serving as the practice’s primary therapist. I am fully licensed in the states of Florida (MT4057) and Georgia (MFT001905).
Currently, we provide online therapy (Telehealth) to individuals, couples, and whole family systems, helping people to navigate a wide range of mental health and relationship problems. However, practice specializes in working with those having trouble navigating:
1. anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, life transitions, stress, dating world, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), history of abandonment, shame/guilt, low social capital/social isolation.
2. Trouble overcoming relationship difficulties surrounding communication, conflict resolution, trust, forgiveness, recovering after infidelity, partner desire/need differences (e.g. intimacy, sex life, parenting approaches, finances, conflict resolution styles).
3. ACEs/Family of Origin relationship strain
4. Pre-marital counseling
After working with me clients can expect to walk away with:
1. Increased self-awareness
2. Implementation of practical coping skills/tools to reduce symptoms
3. Empowered
4. Feeling a deep sense of connection to partner
5. Clarity on what is the next best step
6. Acceptance/Ownership of one’s role in presenting issue, re-purposed as fuel to shift away from harmful cognitive distortions and destructive behaviors.
7. Clarity on characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships
8. Feeling lighter through releasing suppressed and repressed pain.
9. Restored Hope
10. Increased knowledge that influences improved self-esteem/confidence.
11. Reduced harmful thinking patterns
12. Reduced undesired behaviors
My practice proudly celebrates diversity, serving people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds and walks of life. However, I will note that historically my services have been particularly appealing to people of color, working professionals, women, and adults ages 20-70.
You may be wondering how did I come up with the name of my practice, so here’s my story. “Onward and Upward” is an idiom that means “to move toward a higher or better condition”. I believe that when people get to the point of considering and seeking out mental health and relationship support services, that is exactly what they are hoping to do–to move toward a higher or better condition in the areas that they find difficult to navigate and succeed in. I myself have reflected onto this phrase at different times in my life when I felt “stuck” and just wanted to feel better, be better, and just finally be happy.
We are currently accepting new clients (Georgia and Florida residents only).
Feel free to reach out to me directly at baitymft@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I identify myself as an avid, life-long student. I am always reading a new book, taking training, and searching for a deeper understanding of the human experience. Some of the most inspiring information that I have ever consumed came from books and teachings from Patrice L. Delevoe, Jr., Dr. Wayne Dyer, Drs. John Townsend and Henry Cloud, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Michelle Obama, Les Brown, David Goggins, Tony A. Gaskins, Jr., and Joyce Meyer, just to name a few.
Pricing:
- Individual therapy sessions: $70-140
- Couple therapy sessions: $175
- Family therapy sessions: $175
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/cortnie-baity-tallahassee-fl/439405
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onward.and.upward.therapy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cortnie-S-Baity-PhD-LMFT-103576278054950/
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/make-it-make-sense/202106/my-heart-has-been-broken-now-what
