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

Hi Joel, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I started Cowtown Christian Counseling in April of 2021. I remember having two and half months of money left in my bank account to live on. Just two months before, in February, I interviewed for a counseling position at another firm in Fort Worth. One week later I heard back that I did not get the job. One day after not getting the job I decided to start cowtown. I didn’t know a thing about LLC’s, websites, taxes, etc; but I did know the business of mental health private practice as I had worked at a firm for 6 years prior to starting Cowtown. I remember being determined to do whatever it takes to make this business work out. I believe I still function in this way. The first month in business I made enough money to cover my living expenses. The second month I made enough money to cover my living as well as business expenses. This was awesome! I was so thankful. After starting Cowtown, I realized I liked working on my websites, and not just doing counseling. Now I have multiple counseling websites under the cowtown name. I wouldn’t have know that I liked being creative unless I started my own business! I believe I am operating in more of my gifts, like website design and marketing, because of starting Cowtown.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love doing christian counseling. Counselors are not like dentists or doctors, following similar theory and practices. We are all different. I work in an office building with over a dozen counselors and all of us are different in how we practice therapy. I have come to love christian counseling because of my background. I remember I first got connected in the Christian Counseling world through my mom’s friend who told me to apply to a firm in Fort Worth. I didn’t know much about counseling at the time. I was still a student. I got a private practice job in 2015 and learned many things about intake forms, white noise machines, and keeping your mouth shut for ethics-sake! When I first started, private practice seemed like a lot of different moving parts. After 6 years with this firm, I started to see how one can make it by starting his own. One of the things. I realized is how niche Christian counseling is in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I remember hearing from new clients, “I wanted Christian counseling and that’s why I am here.” This stuck. When I started cowtown, I began to brand myself as a Christian counselor throughout the entirety of the website.

I am doing what I want to do, Christian counseling. I brand/market Cowtown to those who want Christian Counseling. I tend to know what the client wants prior to sitting on my couch.

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.
Fort Worth is very different than it was 10 to 15 years ago. There are so many places to visit. I think Magnolia Avenue is an awesome place. It has the feel of an old main street yet it’s very much alive! West 7th street is more of a modern feel. I love tex-mex and I believe Fort Worth has great tex-mex. Chuys, Uncle Julio’s, Joe T Garcias, are all at the top of my list for good chips/salsa, margaritas, and more. Outside of food, the trinity river winds through Fort Worth, making it a great place to walk, job, ride a bike. Fort Worth keeps getting better.

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?
I’d like to say thank you to Jeremy Lelek at Metroplex Counseling in Fort Worth for being an excellent supervisor and Greg Cook at Christ Chapel Bible Church for his help in pastoral counseling me as well as providing me a part-time job when I needed it.

Website: www.cowtownchristiancounseling.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cowtown-Christian-Counseling-107308078182613

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cowtown-christian-counseling-fort-worth?osq=cowtown+christian+counseling

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.