We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelsey D’Amore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelsey, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is scary, but necessary, to pursue a passion or start a business. I am a true believer that taking a big risk can yield great reward. The fear of failure is always there, but passion and dedication will always outweigh that anxiety. As cliche as it sounds, taking a risk is really taking a chance on yourself and your future. A lot of my career path has been riddled with risks; applying to graduate schools, training my dog to be a therapy dog, opening an office of my own, and many others. Almost all of the risks I’ve taken in my life have paid off, and the ones that didn’t served as a lesson for the future. I was fortunate to take a big leap of faith with a friend of mine, Katherine Dunham, to open Connect to Thrive. We took a big jump to open our practice at a young age with little to no start up funds. This risk allowed us to become successful in our first year and bring on another team member. In February of 2020, we took another big risk to expand our office and bring on a fourth team member. Though COVID-19 hit only a month later, the risk was worth it. We are now able to serve North Texas families and individuals during one of the toughest years for mental health.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Connect to Thrive, LLC is a mental health practice serving North Texas families and individuals. We are made up of four therapists, myself, Katherine Dunham, Shannon Kouser, and Amy Bartley. I am most proud of our specializations and what we can offer to clients. We offer play therapy, psychotherapeutic yoga, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), activity based therapy, and animal assisted therapy. These specializations make our office unique, as most offices in the area do not offer these services. We are proud to accept major insurance plans, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare. We strongly believe accepting insurance allows greater accessibility to clients. We never want fees to be a barrier to mental health services. Many offices in the area are private pay only, which can inhibit a client’s ability to receive services. In the midst of the pandemic, we are proud to assist all families, regardless of financial status. It has been a long road for Connect to Thrive to become the success it is today, but it has been worth every risk! We have been able to meet challenges by supporting one another and working together to build a positive environment.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My main places would be: Dallas Arboretum, Legacy Hall, Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, Cidercade, The Barre Code Plano, and White Rock. I love the live music at Legacy Hall and variety of food options. I love being outside and would want to show friends the nature preserves and trails Dallas has to offer. The Barre Code Plano is a great place to workout and sweat before going to enjoy some beers at Legacy Hall!

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?
My family – they encouraged me to take a leap and were with me every step of the way. And my team members at Connect to Thrive, LLC – Katherine Dunham, Shannon Kouser, and Amy Bartley. They make work fun each day and are my main source of support!

Website: www.thriveplano.com
Instagram: @connecttothrive
Facebook: @connecttothrivecounseling

Image Credits
Shelbie Monkres Photography

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