Meet Jessica Mork | Mental Health Therapist & Reiki Practitioner

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

Hi Jessica, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I have always struggled to maintain a healthy work life balance. I love my job and feel very passionate about it which, in the past, has lead me to accidentally neglect myself in order to work hard or serve others during their time of need. Over the years I became increasingly aware that the more I neglected myself the quicker I would burn out and have to restart at a new job and restart my career. It became incredibly disruptive and ultimately I would let down the people I served.

Now. I take my self care very seriously. Working for myself allows me to create a schedule that is sustainable and flexible enough to support my needs. I strive to maintain an identical version of self care that I ask of my clients by taking care of the physical, mental, and energetic parts of myself. This balance allows me to feel grounded and healthy while also feeling sustainable. Work life balance will consistently change, as we have all experienced during this pandemic, and I am incredibly thankful to have the flexibility to accommodate what I need.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the founder of Promenade Counseling, a private practice where I offer individual therapy and reiki sessions both in person and virtual. I maintain a holistic view of healing by taking into consideration a persons mind, body, spirit, and energy. I am a firm believer that healing is vast and complex so even though my approach is mostly holistic, I still hold space for medical and psychiatric intervention when needed. Ultimately, my goal is to understand the nuance and maintain a flexible approach to meet a persons needs.

Change can be challenging and my private practice has been no exception. I’ve never taken a business course and had no prior experience with starting a business leading up to my launch. There were many learning curves and many phone calls to colleagues who were either newly launching too or had been established for several years. I could not have launched my business without my support system. Even though there was a lot to learn at first, the long-term benefits of working for myself have proven to be worth every moment. One of the most important lessons I have learned through this process is to truthfully and honestly care for myself before I care for others. Working in the helping field during a pandemic has forced me to not only understand the concept but ensure that I am living what I preach.

Overall, I strive to continuously learn and grow both as a human and as a business owner. In grad school, I was told by a professor that you can only take your clients as far as you’ve taken yourself. I have clung to those words and take my own healing very seriously. I see my own therapist, receive my own reiki, and live a holistic life that reflects my values as a therapist. I am also consistently maintaining boundaries to ensure sustainability within my business. Healing is one of the most challenging journeys and unless you have also navigated that journey, it can be difficult to grasp its complexities.

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.
I am an introvert who enjoys one on one time with my friends. Typically this involves going on Clematis street, Grandview Market, or Rosemary Square to check out the wonderful restaurants and bars. West Palm Beach also has great coffee shops and the Brightline train which allows the trip to be expanded to Ft Lauderdale or Miami.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am surrounded by so many amazing people who support me, I truly would not be here without my support system. My family has always encouraged my pursuits and believe in my abilities. My husband is incredibly supportive and encourages me every day to take risks and believe in myself, while also gently reminding me to care for myself first when I need it. I have many friends and fellow colleagues, who are also in private practice, who respect my career desires and support my growth. We are always sharing resources and meet regularly for informal supervision. I had an incredible clinical supervisor who supported my creativity in the mental health field as well as many work supervisors who saw my potential and provided me with opportunities to fulfill that potential.

Website: https://www.promenadecounseling.com/

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

Image Credits
Image Credits (outside photos) Nick Murray