January 30, 2017

Meet Megan Broadhead of Engage Premarital Counseling in Brookhaven

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Broadhead.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My journey to become a therapist was predictable in the sense that I was always THE girl people were drawn toward to share their secrets. I loved it then, and so, when I “grew up”, it felt like a natural transition to study Clinical Mental Health Counseling in grad school and to go on to be a therapist. Most days, I can’t believe I get to meet people in the sacred space of self-discovery that IS therapy.

My husband Jonathan and I have been married for almost 9 years. We met and dated when we were only 20 years old and were married shortly after. I tell all my Engage clients our story because we truly we had to “grow up” together and BOY, have we experienced growing pains. And we’ve also experienced indescribable joy in being truly connected. I learned they go hand in hand, and I wanted to share that learning.

In the midst of growing in my own relationship, I found this unique draw to be a space where couples could talk openly and without judgment about their strengths, their growth areas, their dreams, their fears, EVERYTHING. I also realized that I loved the unique transition between dating and marriage. Combine those elements, and Engage Premarital Counseling came to fruition.

Whether a couple is dating, considering marriage, or engaged, when they come to Engage, they are wanting to take their relationship to a deeper level and to talk about their future together. It’s the in-between space, and it’s the perfect time to begin therapy.

So when I began Engage, and it was me, myself, and I. I would meet couples at 7 in the morning if that’s what their schedules needed, and I would meet them at 8 at night if that’s what they needed. I worked 7 days a week in the beginning in order to grow this practice. There wasn’t a day I wasn’t thinking about my business, how I could creatively market, and how I could reach more couples. I believed in what I do, and I still do!

Today, Engage consists of myself, 2 other licensed therapists, an intern, and an admin assistant! We truly believe that happy, fulfilling, and connected relationships have the capacity to change the world, and this drives our desire to help couples learn how to love each other in the best way possible.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, it hasn’t been a completely smooth road. I worked tirelessly (and on my own) to grow the practice in the beginning, and that amount of work, while SO rewarding, takes a toll on anyone. I took a non-traditional route after grad school and started my Engage about a year after graduation; most individuals join established practices and agencies, and I was led to START one. That alone felt like a hurdle at times, because I felt like the only one doing something so different. I got to create it all along the way, though, and creating is always a welcomed challenge!

I’ve had some tough and costly lessons on where to spend marketing money and learned eventually what avenues aren’t fruitful. I’ve been stretched outside of my comfort zone in a lot of ways. Overall, as I look back, I can see how one decision led to the next to the next, and it’s all connected. Obstacles or no obstacles, it’s all led me to where I am today, and I’m grateful!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Engage Premarital Counseling – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Engage specializes in premarital counseling for couples who are dating, considering marriage, and/or engaged.

Engage aims to:
– Help all couples prepare for marriage in the best way possible
– Cultivate openness and new learning about one another
– Develop strategies for a continued successful relationship
– Help couples engage their individual selves and their relationship in a deep and meaningful way

Engage is different than other practices in that the space between dating and marriage IS our focus, so we know that space very well. We know the unique challenges that can come from being in that transition, as well as the joys of being able to look ahead. We are all licensed therapists, so we have the educational training as well as the personal life relationship experience that attracts clients to our practice. We are authentic in our practice and in our lives, and we ourselves are all good friends, which makes for a welcoming sense of community for clients.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m open to whatever the future holds for Engage, and I believe it’s going to continue to grow and flourish. There was a night, not long ago, when I was at the office a little later than usual. All my therapists happened to be working that evening, and there were multiple people in the waiting room. We all congregated in the hallway for a chat in between sessions, and they told me that the parking lot was full, and people were having issues parking. At first, I thought, “Ok, just another problem for a business director to solve. I gotta get on that.” I mentally noted it, as they went to collect their clients. Then as I sat back at my desk, I could see couples filing into their therapist’s offices in anticipation of what internal work would happen in that hour, and I felt a wave of gratitude come over me. I realized that we have a full parking lot, a full waiting room, and now full offices. We are really helping couples! They keep coming back, because they see differences in their relationship, and we are helping them! It was a moment of realizing how excited I am to be expanding my reach and how I wish to do even more of that- potentially beyond Atlanta. I’m so proud of my therapists and of this business, I’ve built. Bring on the full parking lots, full waiting room, and full offices!

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