We had the good fortune of connecting with Kami Guidry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kami, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my success is passion. While I am a naturally motivated and determined individual, the passion I have for the work I do and the people I serve is what drives and inspires me the most.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Associate, currently in private practice in Frisco, Texas. I pride myself in working with a diverse population providing comfort, healing and growth for relationships and couples in the Modern Age, trauma therapy (EMDR) to assist clients in healing from wounds of the past, and helping individuals live their best life by working towards the changes they desire. I meet my clients where they are by assisting them in facing tough issues, all while being a compassionate listener and source of reason and understanding. My journey to private practice and where I am today was not an easy task but has resulted in an incredibly rewarding career. I began my career as a therapist within an agency setting in Irving working with children, individuals, couples and families at a local advocacy center. I then transitioned to an outpatient behavioral hospital in Ft Worth working with adolescents, teens and their families presenting with a multitude of challenges. I worked in two additional agency settings where I obtained continued training in trauma therapy, gained great respect and understanding of grant writing and was fortunate to work with a multidisciplinary team of county officials, law enforcement, and other community leaders. Over time, I began to realize my desire for increased therapeutic flexibility and growing passion in applying my systemic and holistic approach to clients within my own community. Fortunately, I believed this would be better achieved within a private practice setting. The thought of my own business was great. As exciting as it was, it also felt scary, overwhelming, and a bit unattainable. I held on to this idea and continued working two part-time clinical positions, as well as PRN work when needed before deciding to make a change. After feeling exhausted, overworked and like I was being pulled away from my true passion, my husband uttered the words “just go for it.” Within weeks of hearing these words, I began developing a business plan, decided on a name, filed a certificate of business formation with the secretary of state and began creating practice policies and client consent forms. By month six, I signed a sublease with a colleague to rent shared office space 2 afternoons per week and I was seeing 2 clients. This was only a short two and a half years ago. Today, I am proud to say I am the owner of a practice successful enough to not only allow me to work with clients from my community and my preferred therapeutic modality but it also allows me the freedom of being a more present wife to my husband and mother to our 4 month old son. Hard work, long hours and the various challenges I encountered along the way were all worth it and very much a part of where I am today. I learned that good things really do come with hard work, dedication and maybe shedding the occasional tear or two. I learned that sometimes you might have to experience positions that are not a good fit until you find the one that is, or in other cases, create one. I also learned the value of taking chances and having faith. The words spoken to me by my husband sparked a fire but it was ultimately believing in myself that truly set a plan in action. It was also my faith and belief that God gave me the strength, resilience, passion and gift of serving others and placed me in a profession to do so. If you read my Trailblazer interview in Voyage Dallas from 2018, you will learn that my journey has not always been an easy one and each step was an intricate part in building who I am today. When brainstorming a name for my practice, I sought to honor my past and highlight my journey by sharing the personal impact behind my meaning and the significance of a “forward arrow”. My goal is to acknowledge the existence of difficulties and pain, as well as offer my clients hope in the beauty and blessings that follow. An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that it’s going to launch you into something great. So just focus and keep aiming.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
As a born and raised Texan, I love living in and exploring this great state and I am proud to call DFW home. When visiting Dallas, one should definitely explore The Bishop Arts District. For an amazing farm-to-table breakfast, Oddfellows is a must. For lunch, Eno’s Pizza Tavern has amazing cracker thin crusts and fresh toping and CocoAndré Chocolatier serves some of the best homemade ice cream and gourmet chocolate truffles. Mercado369 is a cultural experience where you can shop for Latin art, jewelry, home goods, and beautiful fabrics. The Sixth Floor Museum is another favorite for those interested in American history and the story of the assassination of JFK. Another favorite of our family is enjoying a picnic together in the beautiful Dallas Arboretum. A little further north of downtown Dallas and nearest the ever popular Klyde Warren Park is another favorite. Uptown is a a neighborhood over 100 years old with a vintage trolley, known as the M-Line, that is the perfect touch for a daily tour. While visiting the area, retail therapy in the trend-setting shops and boutiques of West Village is a must and for those in need of pampering, Spa-Habitat is my choice for the perfect place for relaxation. While I love the Dallas proper scene, I must admit that my local community is where I call home and frequent the most. In fact, the recent growth and development has Dallasites making the 28 mile drive up the Dallas North Tollway to visit our claims to fame. In 2018, Frisco was voted the #1 Best Place to Live in America by MONEY Magazine. Frisco is also home to the must-see, Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and official indoor practice facility. When visiting The Star, Da Mario’s is the place to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine. My favorite course is the braised veal shank with a side of roasted Brussel sprouts and my husband enjoys the dramatic table-side fettuccine presented in a giant flaming wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano. For happy hour, we frequent Eight-11 Place in the Frisco Rail Yard for wine, craft cocktails, charcuterie boards and hearty salads. We love the fall-off-the-bone ribs, succulent brisket and amazing service of Tender Smokehouse. Nearest downtown Frisco, we frequent the new Frisco Farmers Market for fresh veggies and local products on Saturday morning. we also enjoy summer baseball games at Dr. Pepper stadium cheering on our local Frisco Roughriders as well as concerts and FC Dallas soccer games at Toyota Stadium. No matter your craving, DFW has something for even the pickiest of appetites.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout is dedicated to my supervisor, mentor and fellow family therapist, Dr. Layla Z. Scott. Layla is an intelligent therapist, business woman, mother, and someone I admire. On a weekly basis, she offers inspiration, support and encouragement and deserves a shoutout for assisting me in becoming the confident therapist I am today.

Website: forwardarrowcounseling.com
Instagram: instagram.com/forwardarrowcounesling
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kamiguidry
Facebook: facebook.com/forwardarrowcounseling
Other: psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/forward-arrow-counseling-pllc

Image Credits
Jamie Guidry