Hidden Gems: Meet Markela Ballard of On A Journey Counseling Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Markela Ballard.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi, I am Markela Ballard, a licensed professional counselor. I am I’m a Native of Nashville, TN where I attended Metro Nashville Public Schools. It was in the 11th grade when I attended Whites Creek Comprehensive High School, I took a psychology class and instantly fell in love. Before taking this class, I was already witnessing mental illness within my own family. I wanted to learn more to help those close to me. I attended Tennessee State University where I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduating I was eager to get to work in the field, just as any recent graduate. Little did I know it would not be as easy as I thought.

Upon graduating, it was challenging to find a position I wanted to do in my field. Some of the job opportunities didn’t seem fitting for someone who had a bachelor’s degree. Here, I stood with a bachelor’s degree and still could not secure a job in the mental health field that I felt would make a difference in individual’s lives. I was persistent and was able to obtain a case manager position with a local community mental health agency. After a year of being a case manager, I knew I wanted more and decided to go back to school to get my master’s degree. I enrolled at Tennessee State University and two years later received my Master’s in Counseling Psychology.

While working in community mental health, I was able to secure a position as an Intake Specialist before accepting a position as a School-Based Therapist. While practicing as a therapist I was motivated to become licensed with the state of Tennessee as a Licensed Professional Counselor, and Mental Health Specialist (LPC-MHSP). After a lot of talking, thinking, and planning I finally decided to open On A Journey Counseling Center in April 2016. I worked part-time at my practice while maintaining a full-time position as a School-Based Therapist. I quickly noticed a difference between working for an agency and working in private practice.

I felt as if I connected more with my clients and was not just “another therapist” the agency assigned to them, as I had heard several times before. I was noticing a significant change and falling more in love with being in private practice. As I continued to grow my practice, I knew I wanted to contribute more. I co-founded Nashville Clinicians of Color with three of my colleagues to organize a space for clinicians of color to network, support, and grow to become better clinicians. In May of 2020, my business partner and I opened Reflective Journey Counseling Center allowing us more office space and opportunities for growth for ourselves and other therapists. In August of 2020, I decided that working for an agency was no longer for me and I turned in my notice to pursue private practice full-time. Being in private practice full-time allows me to offer internships and guidance to upcoming master-level therapists. I have completed the necessary training to be able to offer supervision for clinicians pursuing to become an LPC-MHSP in Tennessee.

This past April, I celebrated seven years of being in private practice. I also launched another business, P3 Pretty Perfect Picnics in March of 2022. P3 is a luxury pop-up picnics business servicing Nashville and the surrounding areas. Studies have shown being outside in a natural setting can decrease cortisol levels while increasing serotonin levels. A very effective way to improve your mood and mental health. This is also a good opportunity to spend time with family and friends while creating memories and great pictures.

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?
Owning a business is not for the weak. I would say one challenge I faced was creating a healthy work-life balance. Did I mention I am a mom of three? I found myself trying to figure out how to be a mom and a full-time business owner too. I can remember when I first opened On A Journey Counseling Center I felt couldn’t turn anyone away.

Sometimes that meant adjusting my schedule to fit the needs of the client. I had office hours but if a client couldn’t come during that time, I would adjust my schedule to accommodate them. In adjusting my schedule that sometimes meant adjusting my kid’s schedule as well. It didn’t take me long to figure out I wouldn’t be able to sustain that for long.

I’ve always been looked at as the “strong friend” so like many others, I found it challenging to ask for help. My motto was “I’ll figure it out.” So what I figured out was I couldn’t do it alone and needed to utilize my support system, my village. Once I realized I didn’t have to be Super Markela all the time and civilian Markela could show up things started to fall in place seamlessly.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
On A Journey Counseling Center is located in Goodlettsville, TN. We offer individual, family, couples, and group therapy for individuals in the state of Tennessee. We offer in-person and telehealth sessions with evening and weekend appointments. We provide a safe space for self-expression in a confidential, non-judgmental environment. We specialize in treating individuals who need assistance with depression, anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, stress, and conflict resolution to name a few.

On A Journey Counseling Center is eager to educate the community on the importance of mental health, whether it’s doing speaking events or participating in mental health awareness walks. We offer internship opportunities for master’s level students and licensure supervision for clinicians currently pursuing LPC-MHSP licensure in the state of Tennessee.

We are honored to be able to walk alongside our clients and future clinicians on their journey to personal and professional growth.

What matters most to you?
Family and mental health!!! As I mentioned earlier, I have witnessed mental illness show up within my own family. In December 2022, I lost my sister due to mental illness. This was the biggest loss of my life. Being in the field and not being able to “save” my sister played in my mind over and over again. My mental health was not okay.

I witnessed my mom, nieces, and nephews being so “strong” I knew this was not okay, they were not okay! I immediately reached out to a therapist and signed us all up for family therapy. (She was great!).

We needed a safe space to process our emotions and time to be vulnerable. As we approach the anniversary of my sister’s passing it’s important to me to share her story and encourage everyone to care for their mental health. You are not alone and never have to suffer in silence. PLEASE REACH OUT!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.onajourneycounseling.com
• Instagram: @onajourneycounseling
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/onajourneycounselingcenter
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/on-a-journey-counseling-center-goodlettsville

Image Credits
Motelewa Smith, Creative Journey, and Pretty Perfect Picnics