Today we’d like to introduce you to Jill Harding.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
After graduating my graduate program in 2014, I began working in hospice bereavement counseling. In order to build in some additional variety I started a part time private practice to begin to accept clients in the evenings. After 5+ years in the hospice field, and some losses in my personal life in 2020, I recognized it was time to step away from hospice. I took a risk to go into full-time private practice to help provide mental healthcare for the essential workers that were giving so much of themselves to the community. Within a month of switching to working for myself full-time, my caseload was full and demand was high. The following summer, I began hiring and supervising new graduates in the counseling field and helping them get their field hours for the licensure requirements. Since then, I have hired and supervised three Provisionally Licensed Counselors, and Magnolia Counseling Services is constantly expanding. We are discussing expanding soon to better serve the Tower Grove area.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Alongside managing the stresses of working in the mental health field during such a tragic time in our country, the biggest challenge I have faced is interacting with insurance companies to ensure coverage for my clients. There is often no clear pathway to communicating with these companies, and the red tape can be exhausting. However, I am committed to providing as much accessibility to therapy for my clients as possible by advocating for them to the insurance companies and acting as liaison whenever necessary.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us more about your business.
I own Magnolia Counseling Services LLC, which has been in business since 2014. I primarily counsel adult individuals, aged 21 and up. Because of losses in my own life, I have a heart for those experiencing grief or end-of-life issues and know that often it is a time of feeling lonely and misunderstood. I am also passionate about helping emotionally equip those affected by racial, sexual, and community injustice as they fight for public justice in an often hostile context and work with them to seek freedom and liberation through personal healing. I have experience providing therapy for other therapists and love working to help provide safety and holistic treatment for other therapeutic caregivers in our community. In session, I seek to come alongside clients and help them make sense of what is going on in their lives in a collaborative and integrative process with a trauma-informed, relational focus. Together, we work toward individualized goals.
I also employ three provisionally licensed therapists in my practice. Jessica Huber, PLPC, joined Magnolia Counseling Services in 2021. Jessica seeks to provide a safe space for you to heal and move toward wholeness and healthy relationships with others. Jessica enjoys partnering with adolescents and adults with a holistic approach, taking time to understand what has led her to the position you are in currently. She is especially passionate about working with challenges of emotional regulation, self-image and identity, and times of transition. Jessica prioritizes building a therapy experience suited to your needs, often incorporating stories and utilizing creative and playful expression to understand better and value our unique experiences. She believes we were made to be understood and connected in a relationship, but this is often shattered by shame, fear, and distrust.
Shannon Koenigsfeld, PLPC, joined Magnolia Counseling Services in 2022. Shannon has experience working with individuals from many backgrounds dealing with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, relational conflicts, and other issues. She is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and has a passion for working with those affected by issues that this community faces. Shannon works from an integrated therapeutic approach. Depending upon the needs of her clients, she selects approaches that would best serve her client. She frequently utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Person-Centered Therapy, and Mindfulness. Shannon believes establishing a strong therapeutic relationship is essential for helping clients accomplish their goals. She believes in a therapeutic relationship built on trust, authenticity, and respect.
Keegan Esping, CIT, joined Magnolia Counseling Services in 2022. She has experience working with individuals and couples exploring topics of depression, CPTSD, and spiritual abuse. She has a passion for working with those who have experienced different forms of trauma (spiritual, sexual, and emotional) and those seeking healing, wholeness, and exploration regarding their sexuality. Keegan blends elements of Person-Centered Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic experiencing work, art therapy, and knowledge about trauma, attachment, and family dynamics into an integrative holistic approach. Keegan shows up as a counselor and fellow traveler, inviting her clients into an environment of curiosity and empathy with the hope it will become a safe place to process the stories that have most affected them in the past and present. She will welcome her clients to explore the darkness and fight for the light of freedom. She will sit with you, holding nuance and flexibility, as you struggle and dare to hope for your future.
If you’re looking for extra support and guidance through a challenging situation, looking for ways to cope with the state of the current world, or you’re just ready to move in a new direction in your life, we look forward to working with you to achieve your goals. We consider it a privilege to hear your story and to help you work through the obstacles in your life.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Empathy, Consistency, and Tenacity
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.
magnoliacounselingservices. com/ - Instagram: MagnoliaCounselingS
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