Exploring Life & Business with Maggie Albers of Wellness Lane Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Albers.

Hi Maggie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my private practice, Wellness Lane Counseling, in April 2022 and so far it has been one of my favorite (and most difficult) experiences I’ve had yet. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado and I provide virtual therapy to individuals located all over the state of Colorado. I specialize in working with individuals who are experiencing anxiety/stress, are going through a major life transition, or have experienced trauma, as well as college athletes wanting to improve their performance both in their sport and academically.

At the time of starting my own practice, I was working as a Supervisor for an Intensive Outpatient Program, which was an extremely busy and stressful job. I had two young kids at home (2 & 4 at the time) and I just remember feeling like even when I was home with them, mentally I was always a million miles away because work was always on my mind. I knew that the level of stress and lack of work-life balance was not sustainable and was not the type of life I wanted for myself.

So I began thinking about starting my own practice and although there have absolutely been moments of fear and uncertainty, I am so happy I made that decision. The path to starting my own practice has not always been easy, and to be honest I don’t necessarily feel like I have it all figured out yet. I am constantly learning and asking questions, and when I reflect on where I was a couple of years ago I’m shocked at how much I have grown and learned.

I think one of my biggest pieces of advice is to build a community of like-minded people in similar fields. You have to have a support system that can answer questions, brainstorm with you, or even just listen when you’re feeling like you don’t know what you’re doing… chances are they have felt that same way so knowing that you’re not alone is so helpful.

Honesty, I am most proud of myself for just taking a risk, like really really proud of myself. I talk with clients all of the time who are scared to make a big change or a big decision because of what others will think, or because they don’t think they can do it. I get it, it’s really really scary to go against what you know and take a leap of faith, but gosh it is so worth it.

What I want the world to know is how much thought, care, and hard work goes into my practice and my brand. For me as a therapist I find so much joy and fulfillment in helping others become the best versions of themselves, and the fact that I now get to do that through a business that I created all on my own is so so special. It makes the work that was already amazing, that much better and I don’t take that lightly or for granted.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not always been smooth but in all honesty, even the difficult moments have been so worth it. The hardest part for me has been not having instant access to colleagues and/or co-workers like I have in the past. Because I am a solo practice, I work alone all day every day.

Of course, I have interactions with my clients throughout the day; however, I don’t have co-workers across the hall or right next door to pop in and chat with or ask a question. I am lucky to have a lot of other therapists in the field that I connect with on a regular basis, but that isn’t always the same as popping across the hall just to say hello to a co-worker.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I want readers to know how much my work with my clients means to me. I feel so grateful that people choose me to be their therapist and to be the person that they share their struggles with. I don’t take that lightly and know what an honor it is. Also, just to toot my own horn a little bit… I also think I am pretty darn good at being a therapist.

I have now been in the field for over 10 years and in that time have gotten to work in a variety of different settings and with a variety of different ages, diagnoses, and populations. All of these experiences have allowed me to really hone in on the groups and populations that I enjoy working with the most and I truly feel like I have reached that place in my career where work no longer feels like work (for the most part).

I offer online therapy to adults located anywhere in the state of Colorado. The types of individuals that are typically a great fit for me and practice are…

*Women in their 20s-30s.
*Anyone struggling with anxiety/high levels of stress.
*Anyone going through a major life transition.
*New moms/postpartum women.
*Anyone with trauma.
*College athletes wanting to improve their performance in their sport and/or in the classroom.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was a pretty quiet kid who “stayed in the lines” so to speak. I am the oldest daughter and I fit that description to a T. I was a responsible, respectful, people-pleasing kid (something I’m still working on recovering from as an adult). I got along well with others, got good grades, played basketball, ran cross country, and was on the dance team.

I had a great group of friends that I am so lucky to still have as my best friends (we are going on well over 20 years of friendship at this point). Although I was quiet most of the time, once I got to know someone I could chat their ear off for days; however, I have ALWAYS preferred to be the one that listens rather than talks.

A memory that stands out so vividly to me is when my mom’s sisters (my aunts) would come to visit and the three of them would get together and tell stories from the past. I can remember my sister and my cousins out in the backyard playing and yelling for me to come play with them as well, but all I wanted to do was sit around the kitchen table and listen to the adults tell their stories.

Looking back on this, it is so clear to me that I am exactly where I’m meant to be as an adult… listening to people’s stories, only this time I get the honor of helping them process some of the most difficult stories of their life and even help them find peace in their stories. And that will never be something I take for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wellnesslanecounseling.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnesslanecounseling/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wellnesslanecounseling