Meet Nadia Ramnarain Ramsaran | Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor & Mompreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nadia Ramnarain Ramsaran and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nadia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

I founded Best Life Counseling Services (BLCS) in May 2020, a pivotal time in our world, the height of a global pandemic, and also a pivotal time in my life. I was two months postpartum as a first-time mom. I was not only navigating the new world of motherhood but now a new parent in a global pandemic. I was experiencing a flood of emotions, among those fear and uncertainty: uncertain of when or if I’d be required to return to work in person at my full-time position, uncertain of how we’d be able to keep our newborn safe and healthy, uncertain of how I could continue to contribute to our family if I stopped working…sitting with these uncertainties was scary and difficult. Then a tiny glimmer of an old dream started to surface. That “old dream” was someday having my own private practice. Pre-pandemic, the pursuit of having a private practice was a part of my 10-year plan, but with the changes of working from home and Telehealth, I realized starting a private practice would be doable and realistic in the here and now. Thus, Best Life Counseling Services was born during a time filled with uncertainty and fear of what was to come. It was the answer and solution to offer support, security, and flexibility to my new little family and extend support to others during a time of great need. Since 2020, BLCS has provided counseling support to numerous individuals struggling with significant life transitions, anxiety, burnout, and depression.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

The mission of Best Life Counseling Services is to foster and provide a safe space for our clients to experience empathy, compassion, and healing. BLC therapists are motivated to provide the best care possible by taking a holistic approach to wellness. Innovative approaches are tailored to each client’s unique needs to ensure collaborative progress so our clients can achieve their lifelong goals. BLC is committed to serving Millennial women and their families to achieve the best life with clarity, passion, and purpose and providing the space for them to heal, grow and thrive. We value our clients’ passion, purpose, and creativity and want to see them thrive!

As a wife, mom of a toddler, and entrepreneur, I intimately understand the complexities, challenges, and stressors we face as women in juggling our multifaceted roles and responsibilities. I bring this experience into my work with clients.

Often when clients seek our support, they are at a point where they feel depleted and disconnected from themselves and those around them. We provide compassionate therapy by helping clients process difficult emotions, thought patterns, and situations. Additionally, what sets us apart from other mental health practices is that we do not take a cookie-cutter approach to therapy. We tailor our care and support to the unique needs of our clients.

We are an entirely virtual counseling practice and offer our services throughout California. We partner with local EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) and insurance companies to provide access to mental health support. Continuing to deliver our services in the virtual space also increases and enhances work/life balance for our clients and us! We are huge proponents of self-care and supporting our clients to achieve work-life balance/work-life integration.

As a group practice owner, an essential aspect for me has been to create and set the tone for a healthy work culture. Thus, BLC team members provide therapeutic support aligned with their areas of expertise, have manageable caseloads, and have flexibility and control of their schedules.

Being an entrepreneur has been quite a roller coaster filled with rewarding highs and lows of uncertainty. It is an ever-evolving process requiring you to view yourself through a new lens, push yourself to new heights, trust your instinct, and seek sound, wise advice. My entrepreneurial journey, thus far, has not been without its challenges. First and foremost, the challenge of leaving my salaried position was something that I doubted and questioned.

I resigned from my full-time salaried position in 2021 to focus on our family and growing the business. Since then, we have expanded from solo to group practice and transitioned from a sole proprietorship to a professional corporation. Our clinical team consists of myself, two excellent therapists, and our fantastic client care coordinator. They are the most impressive and passionate team, and I am so thankful that they have partnered with me in the mission and vision of BLCS.

In my journey of being an entrepreneur, I realized certain mindsets and ideologies were no longer serving my newfound path. Thus mindset shifts needed to happen.

Many mindset shifts have happened over the past two years! For one, I have learned to recognize the value I bring to the therapy room as a trained and licensed clinician and a woman of color. My experiences as a second-generation West Indian American (my parents immigrated from Guyana) offer a lens and insight into the layers and dynamics of issues that BIPOC clients often face. Clients with a shared cultural and ethnic background, seek to work with me based on this aspect. I am honored to be a part of a movement of destigmatizing and normalizing mental health needs in the Caribbean and South Asian cultural spaces.

My experience in the mental health field spans nearly a decade in both private and public sectors. Previously, I was not responsible for marketing myself or my services. When I became a business owner, I quickly realized that in order to reach potential clients, I would need to become vulnerable and comfortable with putting myself out there, which was a HUGE mindset shift for me. I remember initially being opposed to having a business website for the practice or utilizing social media platforms.

Another mindset shift that has occurred is the realization that it is essential to reinvest in your business and yourself! During the company’s first year, I bootstrapped my way through various things, as many new business owners do:

Answering the phones

Booking appointments

Building my website

Creating social media content

I soon realized that wearing all the hats in my business was leading to burnout and was not the way to build a sustainable business. Delegation is key!

One of my best business investments this year was investing in business coaching. I love my business coaches! (Brandy Mabra@savvyclovercoaching and Dr. Tekesia Jackson Rudd @doctortkpsych). Being able to consult, call on, and reach out to them has been life-changing in my entrepreneurial journey. It has equipped me with the skill sets needed to be the CEO of my company.

Lastly, being an entrepreneur can feel isolated at times. I encourage fellow entrepreneurs to network and connect so that you can have a source of support and community to lean into when (not if) business and personal challenges arise. 

This past June, I suffered the loss of my beloved father. A month prior to his passing, I had started the onboarding of our first therapist. After taking some time off from the business, I felt I was faced with a crucial decision: abandon the plans of growing the practice or press forward. I decided to continue forward because I knew that would be the best way to honor my father and it is what he would’ve wanted me to do: create something that would have a greater impact. The journey of just the past few months would not have been possible without the support and love of so many. 

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

This is a tough one! Being a So Cal native, there are so many places and spaces that come to mind!

I grew up in the Inland Empire and attended the University of Redlands for my undergraduate studies. The town of Redlands is a hidden gem, with great food, shopping, and a beautiful view of the San Bernardino mountains. There is an excellent ice cream shop there named A La Minute Ice Cream (opened while I was a student at the U of R and where my husband and I had our first date). They offer delicious ice cream made using locally sourced ingredients and liquid nitrogen; your ice cream magically comes together right before your eyes! We would enjoy our ice cream while window shopping on State Street.

A bit further east of Redlands is the town of Oak Glen (a must-visit in the fall and winter months), renowned for its apple orchards and pie! Apple Annie’s is a great place to grab lunch and enjoy a slice of Dutch apple pie.

We would have a beach day, THE Californian thing to do. When my husband and I moved to the LA area, Manhattan Beach quickly became our favorite place to visit when we needed to reflect or connect. Now, it is a place we frequent with our son, who loves playing in the sand.

No visit to LA is complete without Griffith’s Observatory and Universal Studios!

Next, we would spend a day exploring downtown Pasadena, which has an impressive and diverse food scene! We would grab brunch at La Grande Orange Cafe, head over to Burke Williams for a spa day and afterward explore shops in Old Pasadena.

As wine enthusiasts, we would visit Temecula (So Cal’s own wine country). There are many excellent family-owned wineries. One of my favorites is Briar Rose. The property features cottages designed by a former artist who worked for Disney and created the cottages to be replicas of Snow White’s house.

We would round out the week with a visit to San Diego by kayaking at La Jolla coves, dinner in the Gaslamp Quarters, and enjoying dessert from Ghirardelli’s.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

First and foremost, I thank God for making this possible as He continues illuminating and directing my path.

To my amazing husband, Vish, and my precious son, I couldn’t do this without you two. Thank you for being my continual source of inspiration, strength, and motivation to press forward and for encouraging me not to give up on my dream!

Thank you, my dear Vish, for being my best friend, my shoulder to lean on, my partner in creating a lasting legacy, and an amazing father to our son.

I want to express profound gratitude to my wonderful parents, who have believed in me, invested in me, and educated me. As the daughter of immigrant parents, I’m honored and privileged to preserve their legacy and work ethics. To my amazing parents, thank you for loving and believing in me and providing me with a beautiful foundation.

A big thank you to my siblings, loved ones, mentors, and friends for all your love and support throughout my entrepreneurial journey!

I’m immensely grateful to my clients, who trust and allow me to be a part of their journey.

Website: https://bestlife-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/best.lifecounseling/

Image Credits
Wildflower Photography by Nikki Bermudez