Today we’d like to introduce you to Constance Wallace.
Hi Constance, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
First, I would like to thank you for taking time to get to know more about the person behind Positive Outlook Group, my outpatient mental health private practice. I grew up in Effingham County, right outside of Savannah, GA. As far back as I can remember, I have always wanted to help others live their best life. After intensely reviewing a career book in my High School library, I discovered various helping occupations and decided becoming a therapist would be the best way for me to help others. While attending Spelman College, I volunteered with organizations focused on providing mental health support to those in need, which confirmed that I was following my heart by majoring in Psychology. After graduating from Spelman College, I obtained my Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University and became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). During my career, I have worked with numerous issues and populations: Addiction, Families dealing with Interpersonal Violence, Military families, and Adults and Children who are survivors of sexual and physical trauma. I decided to specialize in providing support to survivors of sexual trauma, and subsequently opened an outpatient, private practice named Positive Outlook Group.
In addition to working with survivors of sexual trauma, I also provide support as a Professional Wellness Coach to Candidates running for elected positions, the family of candidates, campaign managers, and campaign teams. Upon reflecting on my experience of growing up in a political family focused on social justice and working on congressional campaigns as communications director, I realized the type of support that is missing from those environments is emotional support. My goal is to provide a safe place to help effectively navigate the emotional stressors that are commonplace when running for political office.
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?
The path to becoming a licensed clinician is not easy! Oftentimes, people outside of the field think that therapists simply sit in a chair and listen to clients in the same way a friend might listen. The journey to becoming a therapist includes intensive studying, choosing a therapeutic orientation that best suits you as a clinician, unpaid internships, and countless hours of individual and group supervision. Upon obtaining licensure, continuing to learn about topics related to various issues and counseling is a requirement to maintain your licensure. I am thankful to currently be licensed to provide therapy services in both Georgia and North Carolina.
Deciding to open a private practice was both scary and exciting! Positive Outlook was opened as a part-time business while I maintained a full-time job. Late nights and early mornings became a normal part of my life for many years, but it was worth it to finally decide to work for myself full-time.
Being a business owner comes with many learning curves, but I am blessed to be surrounded by close friends who are also therapists and business owners, so we learn from each other’s mistakes and successes.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I secured the business name of Positive Outlook Group in 2012, but did not see my first client in private practice until 2017! The vision for creating a business resonated deeply, which is why it is so important to trust yourself as a visionary and/or business owner. After my father passed away in late 2016, I reflected on the impact I wanted to have in this world and finally decided to open the doors to my business. The vision included providing a wide range of services, not limited to providing individual counseling. In addition to providing therapy services, I have spoken to organizations about issues ranging from child sexual abuse to racial trauma.
I have worked intensely with survivors of trauma over the last 15 years. I began by working as a Forensic Interviewer, which means I received training to conduct fact-finding interviews with children when allegations of child sexual abuse were made. I have testified as an expert witness for the state of GA, testified as an expert in civil cases, and conducted extended forensic interviews which are also referred to as forensic evaluations. That experience helped me have the level of understanding needed when working with adult clients, which is a population I worked with as a Senior Therapist and Victim Advocate at a Sexual Assault Center.
In addition to offering virtual counseling to trauma survivors, I also work with individuals experiencing difficulty in relationships, which can happen as a result of experiencing sexual trauma. I do not provide couples counseling or marital counseling, as I prefer to work with my clients on an individual basis to discover how they can present their best selves in relationships.
As a Professional Wellness Coach, I provide consultations to individuals considering running for elected office, candidates, the families of candidates, and campaign teams. The goal of this service is to provide a safe place to help effectively navigate the emotional stressors that are commonplace when running for political office.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
One of the main lessons I learned during the beginning of the pandemic was the importance of being flexible as a business owner. I opened a 2nd office space in Atlanta approximately 2 months before the shelter in place order was issued in 2020 due to COVID-19. Shortly before the shelter in place order, I decided to exclusively begin conducting therapy sessions virtually. If I had remained rigid and refused to conduct sessions virtually, I would not have had the ability to provide my clients with much-needed emotional support during a time filled with uncertainty and various emotions. By conducting sessions remotely, I have been able to reach even more individuals throughout the entire state of Georgia than if I had continued to only provide face-to-face services in my Augusta and Atlanta offices.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.positiveoutlookllc.com
- Instagram: @positiveoutlook_llc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PositiveOutlookGroupLLC
Image Credits
Ariel Perry
