Exploring Life & Business with Shaunte’ Dabney of Butterfly Effect Counseling and Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaunte’ Dabney.

Hi Shaunte’, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
At the age of 15, I knew I wanted to be a counselor without a shadow of a doubt. Life has been life-ing for as long as I can remember, but I never lost sight of the goal. I began in the mental health field in direct care as a Mental Health Tech in 2008 and became a counselor in 2015. I’d like to say I “paid my dues” over the years, working in a variety of settings, including hospitals, crisis units, community mental health centers, and shelters. I started my private practice part-time at the end of 2019 after returning back to work when my daughter was almost three months old. Approximately three months after that, the world was shut down due to the pandemic. I switched jobs while keeping my practice part-time, which had me working remotely, sometimes ten days straight, with no day off from 7 am to 7:30/8 pm. The pandemic was RAGING during this time, and people of color were struggling with the impact of police brutality after the high-profile death of George Floyd. Holding space for and supporting so many others while also trying to manage my own mental health and care for my baby was sending me on the fast[est] track to burnout. I made one of the most difficult [and in the end, most rewarding] decisions to leave my job and take my practice full-time. October 2023 will make three years, and I have only looked back with appreciation for my experiences and ahead with the full awareness that the best is yet to come.

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?
Smooth? Absolutely not! I will say that one of my biggest struggles has been overcoming this need to be perfect and to do all the things right the first time. Winston Churchill was absolutely correct when he stated that “Perfection is the enemy of progress.”. There were many days when I was confused and questioning if I should keep going – will I succeed? Will I make the type of impact that I want? Will people want to work with me? All this doubt! And there was no one in my immediate circle that I could connect with and gain insight from when it comes to growing a business. Basically, the struggle was trying to do something in a way that I had never seen before and there was no blueprint or rule book in sight.

We’ve been impressed with Butterfly Effect Counseling and Consulting, LLC, 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?
Butterfly Effect Counseling and Consulting, LLC is a private counseling and consulting practice located in South Fulton, GA. Change can be extremely challenging; therefore, it is our mission to support and walk with you through this change. We educate, provide guidance, and create a safe space as our clients embark on their own transformative journey of healing and self-discovery.

I am the CEO/Founder, as well as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Georgia, Therapeutic Life Coach, Speaker, and Author. I specialize in helping the Black Woman explore herself, discover herself, and heal herself. Find a love so precious and fulfilling within herself. Be in the present mindfully, look ahead optimistically, and honor the past graciously. I also host “Beyond The Couch” community events to help foster holistic healing and take the therapeutic process “beyond the couch”. We are currently planning a Wellness Retreat for Spring/Summer 2024. I am also accepting a few new clients in the coming weeks.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
You can follow me on IG @butterflyeffectcounselor, or visit my linktree – https://linktr.ee/butterflyeffectcounseling!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thebutterflyeffectcounseling.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterflyeffectcounselor/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/butterflyeffectcounseling