Last year I had the pleasure of working with Ebony Marie Ann Williams, LMFT and I am so excited to share with you this video testimonial and conversation we recently recorded.
Ebony is the Owner of Root Wellness Healing and Ebony Marie Ann Williams, LMFT (Psychotherapy Services). More about her work right below.
We all from time to time lose sight of our own Wisdom, and when it comes to growing your business, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or confused about the next steps. As I shared in the video, I have a coach too!
What I see over and over with clients is that each one of us has this beautiful light and guidance that comes from the inside. And with some love and support, we all can reconnect with it - and things unfold, often in unexpected ways!
Ebony is changing the world with her practice, and it was truly a pleasure to support her in expanding her business so she can reach more people and make a bigger difference.
In this video we talked about:
- Reconnecting with your dreams
- Letting your own deep Wisdom guide you
- How important it is to be able to share what you do
- Running a business that is committed to helping others while also taking care of yourself
- Being in the helping profession and asking for help when needed
- How important it is to have a sounding board and someone who challenges you
- Letting your values be your guiding principles
- What it's really like to work with a coach. Hint: you have to put in the work 😉
- Having the courage to commit to yourSelf
Last year my coaching expanded to working with more business owners and leaders looking to expand their presence and work. If you are ready to get to the next level and create results from a place of deep listening and inner knowing, get in touch.
Psst: you can find more testimonials about my work here.
About Ebony Williams
Ebony Williams, LMFT is a Black, queer, first generation woman who is also a licensed marriage and family therapist, social emotional healing arts instructor, and a trauma-informed yoga teacher. She created the Ragdoll Project while earning an MFA in Writing at the California Institute of the Arts and has facilitated workshops on both the East and West coasts for trauma survivors and individuals navigating life challenges that range from sexual and domestic violence, grief and loss, LGBTQIA identity, and living in communities challenged by violence. Ebony also earned an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in African American Family Studies and currently has a private practice, is a creative and executive leadership and mental health consultant, and is a supervisor for Journey Out, supporting case managers working with survivors of human trafficking. Ebony is also a consultant for A Thousand Joys, a trauma and resilience training organization, teaches in the cultural psychology LGBTQIA specialization at Pacific Oaks College and the SEA Certificate Program through UCLArts and Healing Initiative. Ebony is also the founder of Root Wellness Healing, a leadership and organizational wellness consulting practice.
On Instagram? Connect with Ebony at @rootwellnesshealing47
For consulting and organizational wellness work, visit Root Wellness Healing
For Psychotherapy Services, reach out at Ebony Marie Ann Williams, LMFT
Video Transcript
Aurora Meneghello (00:00):
All right. So I'm so excited. If you are new to my work, my name is Aurora Meneghello. I am the founder of Repurpose Your Purpose. And once in a while, I have a video chat with a past client that wants to share what happened during our work together. So today I'm starting the year so happy to see Ebony after a while. And I'm gonna let you, Ebony, introduce yourself and then I have some questions for you.
Ebony Williams (00:35):
Hi, so I'm happy to be here and it's so good to see you. I'm Ebony Williams, I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I'm also an Organizational Change and Wellness Consultant. And so I work with nonprofits, different corporations, schools, um, just folks who are interested in improving their staff wellness, but also improving the wellness of the communities that they support and work with in a range of different ways. So that's a little bit about what I do.
Aurora Meneghello (01:12):
So I have to say one of the things that I really love, um, when I work with clients like you, is that I'm a huge fan of your work. It's really needed. So it is an extra pleasure, you know, to support you. So anyway, let's take it from the beginning. I am curious: what were you feeling, what was going on that prompted you to get in touch with me?
Ebony Williams (01:39):
I think it was, there were a couple of things happening for me. One of which I had left my work, at an agency, I had a child in late 2019, and then COVID happened in early 2020, when I had just gone back to work and it disrupted kind of like the plans that I had to build. And I found myself kind of stuck and stalled and a lot of times feeling limited time, limited access to resources in terms of like, you know, being in the middle of COVID. Right? And so when there was some space that emerged, I also found myself still stuck because I realized I didn't actually, I had a lot of doubt and I had a lot of, um, I wasn't trusting in my knowing or in my wisdom. I wasn't trusting in my ability to make things happen. And that just added to the feeling of stuckness and moving forward with the dreams that I had.
Ebony Williams (02:49):
And I also felt like I had so many dreams and so many different directions and so many different things that I, um, started to feel like it's not possible and it was overwhelming and it was disorganized in my mind. And so I, and I don't, I'm not surrounded by folks who actually know how to organize ideas in this way, like in terms of figuring out how to think through a business or how to think through a venture. And so it was helpful to me to, know that like you worked with my partner and my partner's like, maybe Aurora can help you and I'm like, I do need help. So so that, that was the kind of motivation.
Aurora Meneghello (03:36):
Yeah. I have to say though, that, even though I do this for other people, we all sometimes need help. I have a coach too. Right? Because when it's you, sometimes it just gets so, so overwhelming. Um, so, okay. I, I'm curious, what is something that shifted then for you during our time working together?
Ebony Williams (03:59):
Yeah, I think, well, I appreciate that you challenged me on areas where I was stuck, which was the whole point for me 'cause I knew I was so, um, it was hard to move out of those spaces and out of thinking in a certain way to some degree. And so, um, the way that I was overwhelmed was kind of manifesting in ways that like were very stressful and very anxiety producing for me. So, the interesting thing as I look back and you know, that we had talked about in the moment was there's so much about the things that were, um, remembered and the things that were, um, kind of almost like reclaimed as a result. Like there are dreams that I've had forever, that, that were great guiding posts, but I had put them aside or I had - not forgotten them - but they didn't carry or take up as much space and they actually needed to.
Ebony Williams (05:05):
So I think there was like a return to wisdom, to like my wisdom, that was my guide throughout. And just trusting that. Right? So I think that's a lot of what emerged for me, like trusting my wisdom, having less doubt in myself. And then returning to what I knew, and what still drove me, and what still gave me passion was like the root of everything, but I had gotten confused by all the other roots and all the other things that were coming up that it returned me to center. So I think that is a huge, huge, takeaway for me.
Aurora Meneghello (05:45):
Yeah. That's so powerful. Um, yeah, that's so powerful and you know, it was really interesting for me because from the outside I just was like, oh, it's so there, it's so amazing. Right? Um, so it's, it was really, it was really wonderful to see it emerge that way.
Ebony Williams (06:08):
Which is helpful that you could reflect that and see that. Right? Because it's hard to see it so much when you're in it. So that was like really helpful for me.
Aurora Meneghello (06:19):
So what is something you accomplished, uh, since then, you know, since we last talked?
Ebony Williams (06:24):
Yeah. I mean, so as you know, when we started, I was working on like a slide deck to send out to folks 'cause I was, my hope was to do consulting on my own. I have been doing consulting for quite a long time under like through other organizations who I end up, you know, getting contracts through and that's been great and helpful, but I really wanted to also have my own kind of consulting practice built. Um, and so I had been working on this deck and the funny thing is I haven't even sent it out yet. And , I think in part, because I have had so many opportunities come my way and I have been able to take most of them. And also I've had the freedom of being like, you know, this one doesn't necessarily fit for my time or this doesn't fit for really kind of what I wanna do at the moment.
Ebony Williams (07:23):
So I'm not gonna take it and that's okay. Um, but I initially thought that was gonna be my big accomplishment is sending out the slide deck to everyone and you know. But really I think what it is is the practice of learning how to talk about what I do in a different way. Um, I think it's also being able to see like truly see the amount of work that I put in like one workshop that may be 60 to 90 minutes, you know, I used to charge for just the 60 to 90 minutes and I put in hours and hours of work. And now I think I actually see fully my, my, the work that I do put in and how much that actually contributes to spaces. And so I charge what I'm worth and I feel like that was a huge hurdle. Um, but it allows me access to, do projects that I really love and that serve communities that may not have access otherwise. So finding kind of that, that space in between to, um, to do the things that I love all around, but also to like charge for my time and to also do passion projects at the same time. So those are, I think, huge things that I've accomplished.
Aurora Meneghello (08:50):
And I think you got busy
Aurora Meneghello (08:53):
Very busy
Ebony Williams (08:55):
Yeah. Which is good. I will take it
Aurora Meneghello (08:59):
Yeah. So congratulations on, you know, on all the work and everything that's been coming your way. Yeah. If someone is thinking about working with me, but they're still on the fence. So getting some coaching is still on the fence. What would you say to them?
Ebony Williams (09:15):
I mean, I would say that I think for folks like me who are in like the helping professions, I know other folks in the helping profession and we are not necessarily the ones likely to ask for help. We also, and I know as a therapist, I, my progam, and you know, other folks that I know, there's not much that you're taught automatically about business and actually the structure of how to, how to earn is sometimes very disempowering. And so, um, I would say that, uh, folks in the fields that I have been in and that I am in, definitely I would refer to you but also just anyone who is seeking insight, because we all, I'm a big fan of having like a sounding board and I'm a big fan of being challenged. And even if it's hard and even if I don't like it, like I'm a big fan of it at the end of the day, because it helps you work through your thoughts.
Ebony Williams (10:22):
And I think I was able to hear myself in a different way, specifically around like my dreams and my, and the things that I want to create in the world. And I was also able to see my own like wisdom around this, because for, I think most of my life, if not all of my life, I have felt that I am terrible at these things that, and I, I know when we start, I that's a lot of the language that I would use. Like I'm not good at this, or I'm not like, I don't know anything about business. And I think it's just being able to see my own wisdom helps me shift some of that thinking that I'm not terrible at it, that, really, it just comes with the heart and my heart is always in the place of helping others. And so everything else just kind of can follow
Aurora Meneghello (11:17):
That's so beautiful.
Ebony Williams (11:17):
So that would take, I would say Yes
Aurora Meneghello (11:22):
<laugh>
Ebony Williams (11:22):
If you are thinking about it, invest in yourself.
Aurora Meneghello (11:25):
Alright. So I, you know, a lot of people that find out about Repurpose Your Purpose really feel like they want to do something or they might not know sometimes they know, um, like you, but sometimes they don't know, but they really have this feeling of, like I really wanna do something I love, you know, I want to have fulfilling work. So I wonder if you have any words of encouragement, you wanna share something about pursuing what you like, doing what you like, you know, living from that possibility.
Ebony Williams (11:54):
Yeah. I mean, I have learned over time, like what is, what my values are. And I think my values, I try for them to be my guiding principles on what I do and how I operate. And one of my biggest values is freedom. And I have started to try to move my life in a place that is more about freedom. And through that, through freedom financially gives me freedom of time and I can spend that with family and I can spend that doing the things that I love. And so I would encourage folks to really look at what your values are, look at how your work isn't about, you know, doing, uh, doing work so that you can just do more work, but to figure out if your value is about truly living and how your work can reflect your values, the things that are super important to you and the life you wanna have, and also how you live. Because so many of us, I know I was very much taught that really you live to work and I don't wanna do that. So if I'm, if you're matching your values to what you do and what you love and what you have a passion for, even if you don't think it can bring you financial stability or wellness, there is a way when done well that it can go together. So I would encourage folks to explore that.
Aurora Meneghello (13:22):
Yeah. I think it's so important to, you know, do something that you like, I mean, what are, what are we on the planet for if we don't enjoy it. Right?
Ebony Williams (13:33):
That's right.
Aurora Meneghello (13:34):
All right. So anything else you wanna share before my last question?
Ebony Williams (13:43):
I, you know, I think the big thing for me is just being able to have space to navigate some of these things. And so that's been really important. So just paying gratitude to you for holding that space. Um, and that it's, it's really important. I mean, you're my first experience of working with a coach. And so I think that it was a good one and and I got what I came for. Right. And so, and I've seen that through the results. And I didn't see it like right away, but I'm someone who takes time to marinade and I need time away from whatever it is I'm doing to actually like process it and integrate it and it just naturally integrates. Um, and then I start to see it. And so yeah, the results are there and it's not quick and easy. Um, for anybody who's interested, like it's not quick and easy, but it can, but it does emerge, I think naturally for me.
Aurora Meneghello (14:48):
Yeah. I think you're pointing out to three things, one is - that I've really observed through my practice - is that people have their own timing. And so when I, you know, started this, I would get really nervous about, oh my God, how fast, you know? And now I'm like very relaxed because I realize, you know what, people need their time and I'm not in charge of that time.
Ebony Williams (15:09):
Yeah.
Aurora Meneghello (15:09):
And I trust the process, right? When it's the right time, it will start taking shape. The second thing I wanna say is like, as much as, you know, I invite everybody come and, and be my client, like it's up to you, you know, any coach therapist, I mean, whoever you're working with can only do so much. The rest is you. And so I, you know, I think it was my privilege to be in your corner.
Aurora Meneghello (15:39):
as you were embarking in this big transformation, you know, you are the one who made it possible. Um, and then I think the third thing that really stood out in what you just said to me is the courage. Like we have to have the courage to commit to ourselves because there's a level of like, I'm gonna stick with this or I'm gonna stay, even if it's challenging or whatever it is, right. That, that takes courage. And again, something has to open up, you know.
Aurora Meneghello (16:12):
So I started this saying how I'm a big fan of your work. I am super happy to see it expand and, you know, reach more and more people. So if anybody wants to get in touch with you, support you, hire you, you know, um, where should they find you? What should they do?
Ebony Williams (16:30):
So if anybody wants to reach out to me, they can find me on Instagram at @rootwellnesshealing47, or, you know, through my website. So that's rootwellnesshealing.com and that's for my consulting training and, organizational wellness work. And then for clinical therapy support, that's at ebonymawilliams.com. So you can find me there, feel free to reach out. I love talking to folks and I hope to hear from you
Aurora Meneghello (17:05):
Ebony, it's really great, thank you so much for sharing this story. I really hope everybody also feels really inspired, you know, um, from this and … you just made my day! I just love to, you know, I didn't know some of these updates until today, so
Ebony Williams (17:21):
I know which is so I'm glad I, on my end, I love that we get to chat because I get to update you
Aurora Meneghello (17:27):
That's right. Okay. I'm gonna close the recording. Um, right now,
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