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

Hi Adriana, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The inspiration behind SanaMente Wellness, PLLC (formerly Thriving Beautifully Counseling & Supervision, PLLC) is the culmination of my entrepreneurial drive, passion for mental health, and desire for balance. With an entrepreneurial spirit from childhood—from having a orange slices stand instead of a lemonade stand to being the “Mexican candy dealer” in middle school, and selling Avon in high school—I’ve always loved connecting with people and making their day a little brighter, all while building a life I love.

Drawing on over a decade of vast experience in the mental health field—from business development to crisis management—I felt ready to expand my therapeutic services and reconnect with my entrepreneurial spirit by offering clinical supervision and online therapy, with plans to launch professional consultation services and more in the future.

In addition to founding SanaMente Wellness, I co-founded the BIPOC Professional Network to support BIPOC mental health providers and promote cultural competency through networking and learning from BIPOC experts. This initiative empowers us to develop innovative ways to better serve our communities.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What sets SanaMente Wellness apart is the integration of trauma informed, cultural sensitivity approach, neurobiology, and evidence-based modalities like CBT, DBT, Attachment-Focused Therapy, and Polyvagal Theory to serve adult children of immigrants, adult children of emotionally immature parents, young adults, and Latinx professionals. Empowering clients to heal the body-mind connection and align with their values.

Getting here wasn’t easy—I’ve faced challenges like learning the business side of private practice, balancing work and personal life, burnout, and learning to trust the process. Slowing down, reflecting, and allowing my values to guide me have been essential. I’m proud of the growth and future expansion of my practice.

Throughout my career, I’ve developed a passion for mentoring other mental health professionals, knowing how isolating the field can be. Prioritizing self-care is crucial to preventing burnout and sustaining meaningful work. Co-founding the BIPOC Professional Network reinforced my belief in the power of community and support. It helps clinicians expand their cultural competency and access tools to better serve diverse communities.

What I want the world to know about SanaMente Wellness is that we’re committed to empowering individuals to thrive, not just survive, while providing a safe space to heal and rewrite their story.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend were visiting, I’d take them on a well-rounded Texas adventure! We’d start with the Stockyards in Fort Worth—a perfect spot for Texas history, live music, and a rodeo experience! For a stunning dinner, we’d head to Reunion Tower in Dallas to enjoy sunset views while dining. Over the weekend, we’d either head to Austin to chase waterfalls, hike scenic trails, and go kayaking, take a trip to Lubbock (wreck ’em Tech!) for some West Texas charm and a college football game at Texas Tech, or explore Dallas’ Deep Ellum artsy vibes and the Dallas Arboretum for nature. A mix of culture, nature, and Texas charm!

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?
SanaMente Wellness, PLLC – I want to give a heartfelt shoutout to my husband/best friend and investor, Matt Sanders, my mom, sister, and the many amazing mental health clinicians/ colleagues who have paved the way, (to name a few- Dr. Lindy Lotz, Dr. Kristin Harris-McDonald, Emily Lewis, LPC, Samara Orr, LPC-S, Angela Gallo, LMFT), who’ve been with me on this wild ride. To my clients and LPC-associates who inspire me to continuously refine my skills to meet their unique needs.

For the BIPOC Professional Network, a special shoutout to Vianey Reinhardt, LPC—my former Executive Director of Business Development, and a fearless, inspiring leader. Her unwavering support and belief in this vision made the BIPOC Professional Network a reality. Without her, we wouldn’t be celebrating nearly two years of offering CEUs, networking, and community-building for mental health providers.

A special shoutout to Diana Beltran, LCSW-S, owner of Happy Autumn Centro de Empowerment, Ana Marcela Rodriguez, LMFT, owner of Therapy Works Counseling, Anthony Antwine with Salience Health, the team at Valley Hope of Grapevine, and the many individuals who have consistently attended, who supported this vision from the beginning with sponsorships, attendance, presentations, marketing, and encouragement. It’s thanks to your belief and efforts that we’ve made this vision a reality since March 2023!

Website: https://www.sanamentewellness.com

Instagram: https://sanamentewellness.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-sanders-lpc-s-cctp-40b92552/

Image Credits
None

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