Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Wilmoth, LMFT, CEO.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
It all started on a quiet summer afternoon in my rural childhood home. I went looking for a new book to read out of boredom. What I found instead was my life’s work. Growing up, my mom was curious about psychology, it showed through all of the books scattered throughout our house, many written by some of the most respected researchers of the 1990s. I picked up a book by John Gottman and expected to find a way to pass the time instead, I was captivated. The language of relationships filled the pages explaining conflict, attachment, and trust in ways I never heard before, it felt clarifying and personal. As I read, I began to understand myself, my friendships, and my family in new ways. The research gave words to dynamics I had experienced but never fully understood. After finishing one book, I picked up another. My curiosity led to clarity, and the clarity changed my perspective in a powerful way.
As I grew older, I became known as “the listener.” I was the friend people came to with their secrets, problems, and questions. I didn’t set out to play that role, but my natural curiosity led me there. I loved listening to people, especially about relationships. In high school, I took a general psychology class that confirmed what I already felt; this wasn’t just a passing interest. Psychology was in my future.
I majored in psychology at Southern Wesleyan University, where my curiosity was channeled into focused study on human development and family dynamics. I went on to earn my Master of Family Therapy at Mercer University School of Medicine, where my empathy and passion were strengthened through clinical training and clinical experiences.
My early years in the mental health field were formative in shaping my work in psychological trauma and attachment throughout my career. I worked with inner-city youth and adults navigating poverty, trauma, and significant systemic challenges. Later, I worked with families in some of the most affluent communities in Atlanta. The environments were vastly different, but the human needs were remarkably the same: the desire to feel safe, understood, and connected. At the core was a longing for connection with loved ones and the resilience that grows from those attachments. One of the most formative experiences of my career took me overseas. I traveled to Kenya, Africa, to train youth educators on the impact of trauma and resiliency in one of the largest and most dangerous slums in the world. There, I witnessed profound resilience in the face of adversity. The experience helped to confirm what I was already observing as a young therapist: nearly everyone will face adversity or trauma at some point in life, and the relationships we have with others play an important role in helping us overcome challenges and ultimately thrive.
For over ten years, I was a Clinical Director and Supervisor at a large private practice in the Atlanta area. During that season of my career, I discovered a new passion for developing and training therapists. I found deep meaning in helping the next generation of therapists develop their skills, grow in confidence, and effectively help families. To further this passion, I spent two years earning my supervision certificate through the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, allowing me to formally train and supervise new and advanced therapists.
The culmination of my experiences came in 2021, when I launched my private practice, Thrive Forward Therapy. It was one year after the pandemic changed the world, and the mental health field, seemingly overnight. What I witnessed during the pandemic was both inspiring and heartbreaking. Clients were seeking support in record numbers, but behind the scenes, many therapists were crumbling from exhaustion and burnout. Highly skilled, deeply respected therapists were leaving the profession at rates I had never seen before. The pandemic didn’t create the problem; it just exposed it. For many years, self-care was mentioned in professional conversations and conferences but rarely practiced or encouraged in any mental health setting. Therapists were expected to help others regulate, heal, and thrive, often while carrying overwhelming amounts of work, experiencing secondary trauma, and receiving limited support. As I began dreaming of starting a counseling practice, I knew I wanted to build something different. I wanted Thrive Forward Therapy to be known not only for providing an outstanding therapy experience, but also for cultivating a deeply supportive culture for the therapists who make that therapy experience possible. When therapists thrive, the ripple effect reaches every couple, every family, and every individual who walks through our doors.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like most purposeful work, the road has not been entirely smooth. Balancing the roles of wife, mom, therapist, supervisor, and business owner has been one of the greatest challenges along the way. All these roles are deeply meaningful to me, but each requires presence, energy, and emotional investment.
There have been seasons where I had to learn to respect my limits, manage my time more intentionally, and accept that I couldn’t do everything at once. Building a practice required long days, behind-the-scenes problem solving, and learning the many facets of running a business.
At the same time, the journey has been incredibly rewarding. Being a mom has deepened my empathy as a therapist, and being a therapist has helped me become a better mom. My children and husband have watched me and my team grow a practice from a dream on paper into a supportive pillar in our community. Seeing the pride in their eyes when they hear me speak at an event or show their friends an article where my work is featured is a powerful reminder that my work is also inspiring them to pursue their own dreams and make a positive impact in the world.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Thrive Forward Therapy is an award-winning counseling practice located in Suwanee, Georgia. The practice is designed to provide an outstanding therapy experience in a welcoming environment. We offer a simple process to therapy that is tailored specifically to you and your family so you can move forward to the life and relationships you always imagined. We specialize in family and couple therapy, working with men, women, teens, and children. We are a resource to the community through a variety of community events, speaking engagements, relationship checkups, resiliency checkups, support groups, youth resiliency clubs, and a Family Matters column in Suwanee Magazine. We are sought after for our affair recovery intensive sessions when couples want to rebuild trust quickly. We are there to help them every step of the way. Our practice is known for tailoring sessions for high performers, professional athletes, executives, celebrities, and other clients who want a convenient, private, and luxury therapy experience through concierge sessions. At Thrive Forward Therapy, every client experience is intentionally designed to provide exceptional therapy, meaningful growth, and lasting change.
What does success mean to you?
I define success as making a positive impact on the people around you; within your family, your friendships, and your community. To me, success is less about titles or achievements and more about the difference you make in the lives of others.
I also see success through a lens of faith and purpose. It’s about living intentionally, using the gifts you’ve been given to serve others, and investing in meaningful relationships. Along with that, success includes having a genuine sense of peace with who you are; liking the person you are becoming and living in a way that aligns with your values. When my life reflects purpose, integrity, and care for others, that feels like true success to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thriveforwardtherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveforwardtherapy?igsh=MXU5MDd6ejFtdTA2bg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThriveForwardTherapy?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-forward-therapy/
Image Credits
Kayla Johnson
