Meet Ashley Hamm | Counselor in Private Practice

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Hamm and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I spent several years working in various mental health settings, and I found myself wanting a little more freedom over the type of work that I do. I was excited to be able to narrow my niche and focus on cultivating my professional identity outside of what a workplace needed from me. Plus I love having control over my schedule and how I work – I can really create a life that’s enjoyable and sustainable to me, while building a practice that makes sense and prioritizes the needs of my clients and myself. There’s also a lot of creativity involved in running my own business that was missing in working for other people. I can follow my creative interests, whether it’s speaking, writing, or creating workshops. Another aspect that’s not talked about enough is that therapists are often underpaid in community mental health and early in their careers. We’re often sent the message that because we care about helping others, we shouldn’t be “greedy” and want to make money. I believe that we can be passionate about serving others and make sure we have enough to live and retire on. Running my own business is a way to secure my own financial stability, and I love encouraging my counseling colleagues to explore what their financial needs are as well.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I started my counseling practice several years ago and I have been gradually refining who I serve and how I run my business. Counselors are not really taught any business skills so it was not easy to get started building a private practice! I really had to learn a lot about managing money, learning how to set policies, and just setting up systems to keep things running. I don’t have any employees and so I’ve learned to rely a lot on technology and automation to keep things running. For example, I let clients book their sessions online and they get automated appointment reminders – this has saved so much time and most of my clients love the convenience of self-scheduling. I’ve learned that running a business has really required me to build confidence, set boundaries, and be more visible. I have a therapist myself and I’ve used therapy to really work through some of the places I felt stuck and scared while running my business. I can be a little shy and socially anxious, and running my business has pushed me past some of that – and I have even discovered that I like public speaking in the process! I think there’s a misconception that only extroverts are entrepreneurs – us quiet people can run a business, too! One cool thing about starting my business is that working through all of these stuck places and fears has actually helped me better understand what my clients need when they want to set boundaries, build confidence, and stop people-pleasing.

One thing I’d like the world to know about my practice is that I really believe that counselors need to share more of themselves in order to let clients know if we’re a good fit for them. I’m up front about some of the experiences that have shaped me, such as being a former Catholic, identifying as a feminist, and choosing not to have children. I know not everyone will resonate with some of these aspects of my identity, and that’s ok! I’d much rather they realize I’m not the best fit and find someone who really meets their needs. The clients who resonate with my approach really resonate with it, and we’re able to do deeper work because trust is built a lot faster when I’m clear about who I am and who I serve. Of course, during a counseling session the focus is on my client and their needs, so we don’t spend a lot of time talking about me – but I think sharing who I am on my website and social media helps my clients feel safer to share more about their experiences.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When I want to enjoy Houston my focus is often on food, the outdoors, and the arts – so we’d do a lot of eating and exploring! We might grab brunch at Common Bond or Revival Market, then explore the Arboretum or the Botanic Gardens. We would get dinner at Oporto or Coltivare. I’d also want to take them to the MFAH and the Menil. We’d maybe catch a play at the Alley Theatre, Stages, or the MATCH. There’s also always fun outdoor markets and festivals, so I’d probably take a look at whatever is going on that week and pick out a fun festival to visit. (I always enjoy the Houston Plant Market: https://www.houstonplantmarket.com/) One of my favorite lesser known places to visit is the Buffalo Bayou Cistern – it’s such an interesting place to visit, and it’s a dark, peaceful, cool escape on a hot day. If we needed to cool off during our adventures, we’d do so with some ice cream from Fat Cat Creamery or an iced coffee from Throughgood. (If you can’t tell, I live in the Heights and spend a lot of time eating there!)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shoutout Monique Torres, a counseling colleague of mine who met up with me for coffee shortly after I was laid off from a job and was feeling a little lost about my next steps. Monique shared her experience starting a counseling practice and really gave me a lot of encouragement to just give it a try. I was feeling a little stuck in perfectionism and trying to figure out every detail of starting a business before I got started, and Monique really gave me a feeling that I could just get going and tweak along the way as I learned more. I really appreciate her and all of my counselor colleagues who have helped me to build my confidence on this path. Monique’s practice info can be found here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/monique-torres-houston-tx/300280

Website: www.hammcounseling.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyhammlpc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleyhammlpc

Image Credits
The photos with text were made using the Word Swag app, which uses free stock photos from Unsplash and Pixabay. To my knowledge no credit is required when sharing them. The photos of me require no credit.