Meet Marcus Price of Seed & Oak Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Price.

Marcus, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been drawn to understanding what helps people heal and connect. Since childhood, I’ve been conversational and relational, and people have always fascinated me. I asked a lot of questions and was deeply curious about what happens inside of people, what shapes their emotions, choices, and relationships. That curiosity eventually led me into the field of mental health.

I originally came to Atlanta to study at The Interdenominational Theological Center, thinking I would become a pastor and work in traditional parish ministry. My seminary education revealed to me that would not be the case and helped me give voice to something that had been quietly forming within me but I didn’t have language to articulate. There was a passion for helping people make sense of their stories and find meaning in their experiences. What I didn’t realize then was that my sense of calling would evolve into something more expansive and nontraditional. I came to see that my ministry would take a different form by creating spaces where I could help people find meaning, belonging, and wholeness in their everyday lives.

My early career began in spiritual care, where I served as a hospital and hospice chaplain. Spending time with people at the end of their lives deeply shaped how I understand healing, grief, and relationships. Over time, I found myself wondering what it would mean to walk with people much earlier in their journeys, before they reached a place of crisis, critical illness and end-of-life. That question led me back to school to pursue my Master of Social Work degree at Smith College School for Social Work, where I began blending my interests in spirituality, mental health, and justice work.

That evolution eventually led to the creation of Seed & Oak Counseling. I wanted to build a practice rooted in compassion, care, and relational health, a place where healing could be both deeply personal and shared. Today, my work, and the work of my staff, integrates the spiritual, psychological, and social dimensions of people’s lives, helping them grow from the seeds of their experiences into something grounded, whole, and strong.

Over time, I’ve built a team of therapists who share that same vision. Together, we’re creating a community where therapy is not just about reducing symptoms, but about fostering growth, connection, and transformation. At Seed & Oak, we’re building something larger than a private practice. We’re cultivating a space where both clients and clinicians can heal, learn, and thrive.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey to this point hasn’t been easy at all. It’s taken years of training, formal education, and countless hours of investing time, energy, and resources. There were long shifts, trial and error, seasons of uncertainty, and lessons learned through mentorship, supervision, working with clients and testing. Yet through every stage, I’ve been held by a community that believed in me and a spiritual base that grounds me. That support has allowed me to stay grounded in what I’ve always known Spirit was calling me toward and staying committed to my vision.

We’ve been impressed with Seed & Oak Counseling, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Seed & Oak Counseling is a private psychotherapy practice based in Decatur, Georgia, rooted in helping individuals, couples, and families build healthier, more connected lives. We specialize in relationship-focused therapy rooted in attachment, development, emotion-focused, and psychodynamic approaches. Our work centers on helping clients understand the patterns that shape their connections–how they love, communicate, and heal, so they can create relationships that are grounded in authenticity and growth.

What sets us apart is our commitment to culturally responsive and emotionally attuned care, particularly for Black men, women, and couples, though we are committed to serving everyone. We believe therapy should be a space where clients feel seen, safe, and understood, not pathologized. Our clinicians are trained to bring both clinical excellence and deep compassion to every session, helping clients uncover the roots of their struggles and strengthen the connections that sustain them.

The name Seed & Oak reflects what we believe about healing. The seed represents the beginning of growth and self-awareness, and the oak symbolizes the flourishing, strength, and wisdom that comes from cultivating one’s inner environment. Every service we offer, be it, individual, couples, and group therapy, as well as forensic services, is rooted in this idea of transformation and healing through relatedness.

More than anything, we want people to know that our work is about restoration–helping people return to themselves and to the relationships that matter most.

At Seed & Oak Counseling, we believe that when relationships heal, people heal.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see the field of mental health continuing to expand in exciting ways. Many therapists are moving beyond the traditional one-on-one therapy model and finding new ways to extend the reach of healing. At Seed & Oak Counseling, we’re exploring how to meet people where they are and create spaces for connection in forms that feel relevant to their everyday lives.

One of the new services we’re offering is called Therapy With Friends. It’s a healing model designed to help restore and strengthen friendships. Friendships are some of the most meaningful relationships in people’s lives, yet we rarely think about seeking therapy with our friends the way we might with a partner or family member. This offering creates space to repair trust, improve communication, and rediscover the value of friendship as a source of emotional support and belonging.

We want to offer services that are a little outside the box, services that speak to the evolving ways people connect and care for one another. I also think we’ll see more people craving genuine human-to-human contact as technology and AI continue to grow. Those tools are incredibly useful and necessary, but they can’t replace the power of real connection. People are craving humanness now more than ever, and I think that longing will only deepen in the years ahead.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.seedandoakcounseling.com
• Instagram: seedandoakcounseling
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Seed-Oak-Counseling-61565557774879/