We recently had the chance to connect with Hunter Cook and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Hunter, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity is non-negotiable. I’ve always believed that intelligence and energy are only as valuable as the character behind them. I lean more on my intellect than raw energy, but I’ve learned that neither matters if people cannot trust your word. For me, follow-through is a must to be successful. If I don’t use my resources for a purpose I believe in, then those abilities are for naught. I prioritize being the person who stays true to their promises, in both life and business.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Hunter Cook, a Licensed Professional Counselor and the founder of Dimensions Counseling Center, PLLC. I provide online therapy for professionals and leaders across Tennessee and Virginia, with a focus on people who feel highly driven and appear capable on the outside, but internally run on pressure, self-criticism, and constant overthinking.
A lot of my work centers on burnout, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and anxiety, especially when those patterns start to impact relationships, health, and day-to-day quality of life. What makes my work different is that I’m not interested in quick fixes or generic coping tips. I help clients understand what’s actually driving the pattern, learn practical skills to get unstuck, and build a more realistic way of living and working that fits who they are at their core, not just who they’ve been expected to be.
I’m drawn to working with these clients because I’ve seen how easy it is for capable people to get trapped in constant achievement and responsibility while losing touch with themselves. Most of my clients don’t come to me needing more discipline or productivity strategies. They need a different relationship with pressure, fear, and self-criticism, so they can make decisions from what matters to them instead of what anxiety is pushing for. My role is to help them rebuild self-trust and create a life that isn’t powered by constant feelings of urgency.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I’ve had the tendency to measure my value strongly, although not exclusively, through external achievements. Throughout my life, I have operated on a rigid scale where anything less than the top result felt like failure. If I didn’t receive an A, I felt I had performed below what I ‘should have.’ If I wasn’t accepted into a specific program, I viewed it as a personal defeat and spoke to who I was as a person. Even earning two master’s degrees felt unremarkable to me because I immediately looked for the next credential to be able to put behind my name.
This felt at least somewhat helpful for pushing me to do my best, but I have learned the cost and liability in small business ownership. I have had to realize that my business will not always follow the direct path to what I’ve deemed a success. There are disappointments and setbacks that cannot be solved by simply working harder. I am letting go of the need for constant, visible accolades so that I can focus on the actual health and sustainability of my organization and more importantly myself. I am replacing the pursuit of the next ‘win’ with a commitment to the long-term process, accepting that obstacles are a standard part of the work rather than a reflection of my capability. I’ve come to begin embracing difficult times as opportunities for learning and growth.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that has held me back most is the fear of being seen as insufficient or incompetent without proof; a title or a “win” to back me up. For most of my life, I viewed my value as something I had to earn repeatedly. This created a mindset my two master’s degrees, my capabilities, or my ability to genuinely connect with others (when I let myself) weren’t sources of pride but defenses that I used to make sure no one could find a reason to dismiss me.
This mindset made me treat my life like I was constantly being graded. In my relationships, it acted as a barrier to genuine personal connection; I was so focused on being perceived as successful and likeable that I struggled to let people see the person behind the achievements. I realize now that this often came off as arrogance. I felt that if I wasn’t one of the most capable people in the room, I had no right to be there. This made vulnerability feel like a major risk. Admitting I was uncertain or struggling was an admission that I had failed to meet the high standard I set for myself.
Ultimately, this fear limited my willingness to take risks. I stayed within the lines of what I knew I could be excellent at because the prospect of disappointment felt intolerable. Starting my own business forced me to confront this head-on. There is no rubric in entrepreneurship, and there is no way to avoid the messy reality of building something from the ground up. I’ve had to learn that my worth is not an ever-changing score based on my latest achievement but instead rooted in my integrity and my willingness to show up when the outcome is uncertain.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I do my best to keep the public version of me as authentic to the real me as possible. For much of my life, I presented a version of myself that was defined by my accomplishments because I used those achievements to justify my presence in a room. I felt that I had to be the most capable person present to matter. I’ve been able to work hard to move away from that and do well with being the same person when I am working with a client as I am when I am with friends or meeting someone for the first time.
I’ve been able to make this a consistent change because I’ve committed myself to a value of authenticity. I’ve learned that maintaining a separate professional persona is a barrier to genuine connection. I don’t tell clients everything about my life, but I act and express myself the same regardless. Whether I am in my office or on the street, what you see is what you get.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
If I retired tomorrow, I believe my clients would miss the experience of “being believed” more than anything else. Many of the people I work with have spent years being dismissed or doubted by their parents, their partners, and even their doctors. In our sessions, they finally find a space where their reality isn’t questioned. I don’t need to be pushing against their experience so much as just understanding it along with them and helping them find a way to live a fulfilling life within their reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dimensionscounselingcenter.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dimensionscounselingcenter/
- Linkedin: https://www.facebook.com/people/Dimensions-Counseling-Center-PLLC/61572603461763/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Dimensions-Counseling-Center-PLLC/61572603461763/
Image Credits
Hunter Cook
