Meet Elaine Moreno | Psychotherapist

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

Hi Elaine, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I think the most important factor behind my success and success in general is authenticity. Be yourself. People can feel it. The feedback I get from clients is that they contacted me because they felt like they could relate to the content on my website. They felt heard. Seen. Less alone. For me, that is the goal in any interaction I have out in the world. It was important for me that the content on my website sounds like me. I try to be true to myself because I know the clients that chose to work with me will be a compatible fit. The”right fit” or the therapeutic relationship is the most important factor in therapeutic change. The ones that don’t chose to work with me probably are looking for someone with a different flavor. And that is ok. I would say that advice goes for marketing as well. Take some time to know yourself and what you’re about. Choose marketing strategies that are authentic to you. There are so many strategies that it can be overwhelming. There’s developing your SEO, google ads, social media, one to one networking, hosting workshops, joining organizations, etc. The list goes on and on. I felt it was important engage in two or three where it felt fun and easy to be myself. I know that if I feel comfortable being myself, then I will be more willing to engage in it.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am the owner and therapist at Hello Therapy in Houston, TX. My primary focus is working with individuals around issues related to maternal mental health, anxiety, self-esteem, boundary-setting, and relationships. I became a mom in 2019 and boy was that a doozie. It’s the part of my life I love the most and it is also the most challenging. I knew it would be hard, but I was not prepared for the complete identity shift that was going to take place. I also realized through that experience how gigantic of a force mom-guilt is and how difficult it can be to recognize my own needs after having a child. And once I recognize my needs, what do I do with them? Is it ok to have them? How do I ask for them? We’re moms. We’re supposed to have this all figured out, right? Nope. Not me. As I had really candid conversations with people, I realized that many of us felt the same way. Many of us had a difficult time asking for a break, or felt guilty when we were not feeling enthusiastic about motherhood 100% of the time. It was then that that I realized the dominant narrative from society was set up to make us feel like failures. I knew that if I did start a business that I wanted to focus on moms. I have been in business almost a year and most of my client base are moms. I can say that there is nothing I love more than being with clients on their journeys towards self-acceptance and change.

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.
This question makes me laugh because when I read it, I think to myself, “before or after kids?” Let’s start with kiddos. My closest friends have kids so when we get together we usually hit up Herman Park. It’s undoubtedly the most beautiful park I’ve ever seen. I feel like I always discover something new when I go there. We take our kids on the train then piddle around the park. We may walk over to the Houston Zoo or The Houston Museum of Natural Science. After hanging out at the park, we’ll go into Montrose for a late lunch. I LOVE Aladdins. Their chicken shawarma is delish. I honestly would probably be exhausted after all of that and be counting down the minutes until nap time.

Now, for a kid-free day. My husband and I have this conversation all the time. We find ourselves totally clueless when we have a day without our son. We both say to ourselves, “what did we do before kids?” Here it goes! An ideal day in Houston would probably be Pondicheri for breakfast. Get the railway omelet. Yum. Then, we would head over to the Trellis Spa at the Houstonian for facials and massages. Following our spa treatments, we’d go into The Heights to grab Local Foods for lunch and engage in some antiquing on 19th street. I would love to follow that up a movie at IPIC (order the El Corazon). We’d finish the night off with the most delicious sushi in town, Uchi.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband. For sure. He’s been suggesting to me for years that I start my own therapy business. I usually would laugh and respond with some self-defeating comment. But he was persistent and when I told him I was going to do this, he met me with so much love and encouragement. I have a habit of leaning in to self-doubt and starting my own business can definitely trigger some of those habits. My husband allowed me to express my fears while also building me up. I knew that if I failed, he wouldn’t care. That’s all the power I needed.

Website: https://www.myhellotherapy.com/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Therapist/Hello-Therapy-PLLC-107525974856955/

Image Credits
Janica Boles Photography