Today we’d like to introduce you to Ray Marshall.
Hi Ray, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey as a trauma therapist began at the age of three at a Lil Tykes kids picnic table. My mother, who stayed home to raise my sisters and myself, would have a cup of coffee with me at that picnic table and we would talk about life and all that it entails. As I grew older, I found myself becoming the person people go to, the person people would ask for advice from while unknowingly helping me realize what I was meant to do. It was not until my mid-twenties that I decided to go back to school to become a counselor who could help people that they were the person that they have always needed. My professional career began at a private practice where not only did I cultivate my skillset, but I developed a passion for working with cultures different than my own. For that, I will always be thankful to my mentor, Karen Graves. From there I worked in community mental health and served the Appalachian population where I would continue to refine my knowledge and experience of working with traumatized individuals from marginalized areas. As I continued to grow, I decided to move forward with opening my own private practice that offers specialized trauma therapy to individuals who may not otherwise have access to these services.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While working as a therapist can be highly rewarding, it can also be daunting when self-care isn’t implemented. I have succumbed to burnout in the past and even still occasionally let things slide through the crack from time to time. Fortunately, I have the best support system I could have ever asked for to help me overcome the trying times. Most importantly, I’ve learned that through my challenges, one cannot pour from an empty cup. We can, however, lean on the reservoir of love and laughter from the people most important to us in order to refill that cup and be the best we can be for those around us.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I opened my practice to create a safe space for individuals who may have identified as the black sheep of the family so that I can help them realize that they were meant to stand out. Through my practice, I have made it my utmost priority to tailor my approach to each individual client, ensuring that those who seek care are treated like a person instead of a number. Through my practice I tend to work with individuals with complex trauma, dissociative disorders, neurodiverse backgrounds, and sexuality with the intention of introducing my clients to the best most authentic version of themselves. In my practice, as the name suggests, we brew success one session at a time. While the coffee is optional, my commitment to helping people change is stronger than ever.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The best advice that I would have for anybody starting out would be to listen. No matter what career one enters, no matter what connections are established, human relationships as a whole are formed on the premise of listening. This also means learning the difference between hearing somebody and listening to somebody. When we listen, have engage in a deeper understanding with those around us.
Pricing:
- Out of pocket: $150 per session
- I accept insurance
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cuppacoffeecounseling.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuppacoffeecounselingllc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092560740914
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjmjr/
