Taking the Leap: How The Healing Vine Came to Be
If you would have asked 16-year-old me what I wanted to do with my life, I probably wouldn't have been able to tell you exactly how I was going to get there—but I knew I wanted to help people.
And somewhere in that dream was the idea of having a practice of my own one day.
At 16, it was just that: a dream.
I obviously didn't know what it would take to become a therapist. I didn't know about graduate school, licensure hours, insurance, running a business, or all of the very unglamorous things that come with owning a private practice. I just knew that I wanted to create a space where people could feel safe, supported, and genuinely cared for.
Years later, that dream became The Healing Vine Counseling.
Sometimes the next step is the scary one
Opening The Healing Vine wasn't something I did because I suddenly felt 100% ready.
Actually, it required a pretty big leap of faith.
There is something very comfortable about staying where you already know what to expect. Starting something of your own means stepping away from that comfort and choosing to trust yourself—and, for me, choosing to trust God—with what comes next.
There were so many questions.
What if it doesn't work?
What if I'm not ready?
What if I should just wait a little longer?
And I think that's something so many of us experience when we're standing in front of a big decision.
We wait to feel completely confident before taking the next step.
But sometimes confidence doesn't come first.
Sometimes you take the step scared, and the confidence grows along the way.
A dream can grow with you
The vision I had at 16 looks different now.
It has grown as I've grown.
Through becoming a therapist, working with children, teenagers, adults, and families, and sitting across from so many different people and stories, I've learned just how important connection is.
People need a space where they can be themselves.
Where they don't have to have everything figured out before they walk through the door.
Where kids can play and be kids.
Where teenagers can feel heard without feeling judged.
Where adults can put down some of the things they've been carrying.
Where families can learn how to understand one another a little better.
That became the heart behind The Healing Vine.
Why “The Healing Vine”?
I wanted the name of this practice to actually mean something.
The Healing Vine is rooted in John 15:5, where Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.”
My faith has been such an important part of my own life, and when I thought about what I wanted this practice to represent, I kept coming back to the idea of being rooted.
Rooted in our relationships.
Rooted in connection.
Rooted in grace.
And, for those who share my faith, rooted in Him.
At the same time, The Healing Vine is a space for everyone. You don't have to share my beliefs to walk through these doors and feel welcomed, respected, and supported. Therapy is your space, and what matters to you matters here.
That's where my tagline came from:
Rooted in Connection. Guided by Grace.
It isn't just something written underneath the logo. It's what I hope people experience when they come here.
Taking the leap
Looking back, I think one of the biggest things this journey has taught me is that sometimes the dream comes long before you feel ready for it.
Sixteen-year-old me had no idea what this would look like.
She just had the dream.
And years later, I had to decide whether I was actually willing to take the leap and pursue it.
I'm so glad I did.
The Healing Vine is still growing—and so am I. There are still things I'm figuring out, prayers I'm praying, and dreams I have for what this little practice can become.
But maybe that's the beautiful part.
We don't have to see the entire path before taking the next step.
Sometimes we just need enough faith for the step right in front of us.
Welcome. 🤍
