Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Ferrara.
Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, I had a lot of anxiety, particularly social anxiety, academic anxiety and OCD. My parents were amazing but they didn’t know what it was, just that I seemed shy, had a weird obsession with washing my hands and was a bit of a perfectionist. Thankfully, through my own journey, I was diagnosed and treated for it. Now, I use my past as a platform to help students and adults riddled with anxiety disorders. Simplify Counseling + Coaching was born out of the desire to normalize therapy and simplify life by treating anxiety, depression, and other disorders that can complicate all aspects of life.
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?
Never having had a business course, I had no knowledge about how to market or run a business. Realizing quickly that I had a lot to learn, I surrounded myself with experts in the field and other business leaders. It was humbling to see how much I didn’t know and how much I needed to learn but it was one of the best things I ever did! Instead of learning the hard way every time, I listened to others who have “been there, done that” and learned from their experiences. My mentors paved the way for my growth and success. I will forever be grateful for the men and women who selflessly gave their time and expertise to help a therapist learn how to be a business owner, manager, and leader.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Simplify Life Counseling + Coaching is a boutique counseling practice that specializes in anxiety disorders. We help clients identify, address, and reduce their anxiety in a proven method and in a highly personal way. We are strengths-based, solutions-focused and essentially, we are doing a good job when we are ultimately out of a job.
What sets us apart from other private practices is that our group is exclusively focused on working with anxiety disorders. Most counseling practices focus on a wide range of issues but we ONLY work within our areas of expertise and refer out for everything else. We are committed to being experts in all things related to anxiety disorders so we can offer the most tested and proven therapies to help our clients thrive.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Find a business coach who doesn’t work in your specific area bc that person will provide fresh ideas and perspectives. I think you often get what you pay for so they are often not cheap but it’s the best money I’ve ever spent. Seeking supervision, going to peer consultation groups and training as much as possible is not only a great way to learn but also be connected with others!
Contact Info:
- Email: info@simplifyatlanta.com
- Website: www.simplifyatlanta.com
- Instagram: @simplifylifeatlanta
- Facebook: @simplifylifecounseling
