Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashleigh Burroughs.
Hi Ashleigh, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always known that I ultimately wanted to help other young people, but the path to me becoming a mental health therapist has been a winding one for sure. My mom is a teacher, so I grew up knowing that I was passionate about helping kids. I likewise have always been passionate about speaking and writing, so naturally I decided to major in public relations in undergrad at UGA (go dawgs!). I thought I was going to go into community relations work after college, but no amount of internships or experience made me feel fulfilled in that work.
I started volunteering at an elementary school in Athens, and I quickly noticed the school counselor there was doing a lot of the work I was interested in. I began volunteering specifically with her, and I quickly found myself applying to UGA’s school counseling graduate program. I enjoyed every second of the work I was able to do as a school counselor. I did, however, quickly realize that my heart lied with the actual clinical mental health work that I could be doing with clients. I found myself referring so many students out to mental health resources in the community, but I wanted to be the person that they were being referred to.
Knowing this, I began my process for earning my Associate Professional Counselor licensure and knew that I eventually wanted to transition out of the school altogether. I took the leap of faith to transition exclusively into therapeutic work in June of this year and I have not looked back since!
Fast forward to now where I recently took the full plunge into being an adolescent and young adult therapist in Buford. Being a young person in today’s world is challenging to say the least, and I want to be here to help other people process and heal. I want my work to reflect that we all have a story and the power to decide what we want that story to look like moving forward.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Far from it! There have been so many twists and turns, and I know that there will be more to come. I would say the biggest challenge so far has been trying to find myself while also trying to be the sounding board for the people that I am helping. Can I be vulnerable and say that I experienced my fair share of imposter syndrome and struggles, especially in grad school. My early 20s were marked with so much change and personal growth, so I feel like my earlier years in the helping field were a huge hump to conquer. I have gotten to a great place where I have so much more understanding about myself and the kind of work I want to do, but that is an ongoing process of course! I don’t believe smooth roads exist in the first place, and they also make for the least interesting stories possible.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I could talk someone’s ear off about my work as a therapist. I am an adolescent and young adult counselor in Buford, Georgia. I help fellow young people grow from their anxiety, depression and life transitions. The life transition piece is a HUGE passion of mine. We experience more changes than we can think of from the ages of about 10 to 25, and I am along for the journey my clients experience through it all. I also often incorporate expression and creativity into the therapeutic process. As emotionally challenging as therapy can be, it is important to try and find ways for people to bring their passions into sessions with them. The more we can use writing, drawing or movement to get clients to a healthier mental space, the better.
I am definitely most proud of seeing the small week to week improvements that clients make. It can be tempting to focus on the big gains that clients make toward their therapeutic goals, but we can’t forget about the baby steps. It is usually a string of small steps in the right direction that make the biggest difference and makes me the proudest therapist! I would also say I am proud of my ability to not leave my personality at the door when I meet with clients. Sometimes therapy can be stiff and overly clinical, but I make sure that at the end of the day, clients feel like my office is a space for them to be themselves, because I am going to be myself through and through.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I believe that life is a never-ending string of closed doors that lead to open ones and vice versa. I think about how just a few months ago, I longed to step out in faith and pursue this career full time, but feeling lost in even exploring where to start. I felt a little stuck and unsure if I would ever have the courage to take the leap. I questioned whether any doors would ever open for me to truly pursue my dreams. In the same breath, I think about how within the span of two weeks, I went from feeling lost to joining a group practice where I can work with my ideal clients. The door didn’t just open quietly, it suddenly swung out at me. I believe every ounce of bad luck can be a blessing in disguise and propel you to where you’re called to be.
Pricing:
- $135 for an individual counseling session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nurtureandbe.com/ashleigh/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ashleighbtheapc?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==
