By Joy Ewing, Founder and CEO of Joy Life Counseling
When I first opened the doors of Joy Life Counseling in December 2019, I had no idea that only a few months later, the world would change. Like many, I entered that new year with hope, expectation and vision. I had taken a huge leap of faith. I was a new business owner. I was building something that, for me, felt sacred—a space where healing could happen for people who looked like me. A space I didn’t often see growing up.
Then came the pandemic.
In March 2020, my office, like so many others, had to shut down. I had just bought furniture for my practice—play therapy supplies, books and beautiful décor for the office. I had no choice but to shift to telehealth. I had never done telehealth before; all of my clients were in person before the pandemic. Overnight, the in-person care I had trained for and poured myself into had to become virtual. And even though I didn’t feel ready, I adapted. Because I knew that my clients still needed someone to hold space for them, and I knew that I still needed to show up.
