Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Salazar
Hi Hannah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2016, I started my mental health journey in Melbourne, Florida. I was an elementary school teacher at the time and realized too many students were struggling with mental health and/or behavioral challenges. I wanted to know more and go deeper into how these challenges were treated and entered graduate school and began pursuing my Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The program was a hybrid program, allowing me to continue working and complete residency hours on the weekend. I graduated in 2019 from the program with honors from the Leadership Distinction Program. The leadership program afforded me the chance to hone my skills as a future leader. Completing graduate school was not the end though; I still had to complete 1500 clinical hours, sit for the National Clinical Mental Health Exam (NCMHCE), and earn 100 supervision hours in order to become licensed. This process was long and tedious as I balanced work and internship hours. I eventually became certified as a school counselor, requiring an additional six state-level exams, and began working at a Jr/Sr High School. This school was instrumental to my story because it is where I began to create mental health tools, organize mental health summits for the students, and advocate for a language of inclusivity. However, change was in the air. I worked at the Jr/Sr High School in Florida for two years as my soon-to-be-husband was moving to San Antonio to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship in Neuropsychology via the United States Air Force. I eventually joined him in Texas where I accepted a position as the School Counselor at a brand-new elementary school. The school had its own challenges as we had a student body population largely consisting of new immigrants and below-poverty level families. I was faced with children that were living in horrible situations and getting to be part of their stories allowed me to grow, not only as a professional, but as a person. The privilege of providing services to these children enriched my passion for high quality school-based mental health services.
During this time, I passed my National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam (NCMHCE) and completed the rest of my supervision hours. In 2022, the National Board of Clinical Counselors reformatted the national exam and were looking for counselors to take and give feedback. I was then contacted by them to take the new version of the exam as a field tester as well as Licensure Exams, a leading study guide company, to start tutoring new counselors for the NCMHCE. I jumped at these opportunities because I understood the support available for new counselors taking this exam was almost nonexistent. I began tutoring on the side, all virtually, through apps like Zoom or Google Meet. Though it quickly became a good side hustle, I began to genuinely enjoy teaching and mentoring new counselors. My creative side was able to shine through as I was realizing there was a need for additional study aids and began to create my own for my students. The season of change was upon us again, and in the midst of this new adventure, my husband graduated from his post-doctoral fellowship, and we were on the move again. This time, we received orders to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. We were excited to experience the seasons and a new place to call home!
Fast forward to us moving to Ohio, and we discovered the adage of events coming in threes was true this time. New job, new home, and as we found out, new baby! We were pleasantly surprised to find I was pregnant! Concerns needed to be addressed too, though. The unexpected news threw me for a whirlwind; I did not know what I was going to do about my career. The age-old question arose—how do I balance motherhood and my career? This question was something that I mulled over almost my entire pregnancy. I had just applied for licensure as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Ohio and was awaiting my approval to practice. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but tutoring was taking off and so was the demand for good quality study materials for new counselors. The combination of these life changes led me to decide to continue tutoring and take on more clients as I worked from home. My inner teacher thrived in this environment because I was creating as well as helping others. This allowed me to solidify my own business and myself as a small business owner, no longer just a side hustle. However, I knew nothing about creating or maintaining a business and I started to reach out to other private practice owners and small business owners for advice. I wanted my business to grow and to be in the forefront of the new counselor education space. I quickly realized that social media is a big part of owning a small business as you are able to reach potential customers quickly. I launched my social media handle, thegoodneuron, on Instagram and TikTok to help new counselors find support through their internship and exam preparation journey. I also created a space for the new format on Reddit, r/NCMHCE22, to facilitate a safe place for conversation and connection. So far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. I have enjoyed getting to know other counselors across the U.S and even other countries in helping them reach their career goals. I never imagined I would have the opportunity to provide mentorship in this space, but it has sparked a passion in me to advocate for quality education and thorough preparation for new counselors entering this highly demanding field. As mental health services grow, the demand for quality clinicians is only going to increase and I am hopeful that The Good Neuron will continue to provide a supportive place for new counselors.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to creating a new business is never an easy one. One of the biggest challenges I faced was trying to create a business when I have never received education or training on how to do so. I also was trying to create a business in a space that was very niche and online. I knew I wanted The Good Neuron to be accessible and I wanted to be one of the best. Creating an online presence has been a bit tough as it is already saturated with influencers and professionals. I knew that carving out a space would require dedication to creating posts and learning how to market my business. It was a learning curve and sometimes still is challenging. Another tricky aspect was doing my taxes (lol), I never knew how to do quarterly taxes or how to file taxes as a small business. It really made me be organized and concise with my business management.
One of the biggest obstacles is childcare and mom guilt. As a wife and a mother, the balance of it all can be overwhelming. The mom guilt can be so real as you feel that you are constantly second-guessing yourself and if focusing on your career is too selfish or if you’re not enough or doing enough…the list can be endless. I knew that continuing my career was going to be difficult, but I also knew that I wanted to set a good example for my son. I knew that I did not want to give up on myself or my dreams after becoming a mother. Motherhood is so encompassing that it is easy to become swept up in it and to put your life on hold. I knew in my heart that I would not be happy with myself if I allowed myself to do so. I honor all these parts of me by keeping my life scheduled and by reevaluating the balance of it quite often. Making my own schedule has its perks; I know that it is a privilege of being a business owner that I do not take for granted. One of the most valuable parts of my life is that I have an incredible partner who is consistent and encourages me to pursue my dreams. He also gives me so much strength and is always there to give insight into things I might have overlooked or to help with anything I need. He is truly my rock. I could not do any of this without him by my side. It also alleviates some mom guilt because he understands my drive and will spend quality time with our son while I do much needed work. We balance childcare between ourselves at the moment as it has become so expensive here in the U.S that it was not worth us seeking out because my income would be going solely to childcare. The issue with affordable childcare is a hot topic, but it is so needed.
Starting out was the hardest point in my business venture because I was doubting my abilities and myself to run a business. However, with the right knowledge and support the challenges became mole hills instead of mountains. Challenges and obstacles are necessary to achieve big dreams. It is the strength that finds you in the midst of these challenges that brings you through. It is always on time.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I started a business back in 2019 as I was graduating with my Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I was a new counselor and was really excited to help others. The business was called Be Think Grow LLC and I wanted to promote mental wellness tips online as there was a lot of misinformation being distributed. This small company online made a 180 turn as I began to tutor new counselors for their licensure exam, The National Clinical Mental Health Counselors Exam (NCMHCE). I eventually felt that the blog and website I had for Be Think Grow was no longer what I represented, so I rebranded into The Good Neuron and solely focused on providing tutoring, mentorship, and support to new counselors who are entering the field of mental health. There is minimal support for new counselors going through their internship year and exam preparation. I discovered that I had a passion for helping new counselors and began to expand by making study guides and selling mental health merchandise. I create the merchandise so that I can donate some of the proceeds to helping others gain access to care. Access to care can be incredibly difficult between insurance companies not paying counselors nearly enough and then counselors not being able to provide quality services because they are expected to carry 38-40 cases a week in some settings. It is a cause that I feel strongly about because it affects so many different people. I think what sets The Good Neuron apart from other tutoring services or mental health businesses is that I individualize my approach depending on where the new counselor is struggling. I will always meet them where they are and bring them to where they need to be. I am most proud of creating and maintaining this business despite two moves, getting married, being a military spouse, and a mother. It is not an easy road to manage sometimes, but I am the most fulfilled and honored to be in these positions.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
It is my passion in life to help others reach their potential and I always say I have the worst business model because I want the new counselors to pass their exam and move on from me. Because what we really need in this world is high quality mental health services; if I can be a part of that then I know I have done well.
Pricing:
- $75 for 1 hour of tutoring or mentoring
- $60 for 45 minutes of tutoring or mentoring
- $50 for 30 minutes of tutoring or mentoring
- Various prices for study guides and merchandise
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thegoodneuron.com
- Instagram: @thegoodneuron
- Other: Tiktok @thegoodneuron
