Storie: 0:15

Welcome back to Market it with Atma, where we share the tips, tools and strategies to help your business be successful. Today we have on the show special guest Ms Bianca LaRue. She is the franchise owner of Nora Mental Health in Fort Worth. Welcome, bianca, thank you, story. Thank you for having me. I'm so glad you're here. I didn't even know you were close to us. I know I know. Good to have you on the show.

Storie: 0:40

Can you tell our listeners a little bit about your journey? Can you tell our listeners a little bit about your journey, how you got into this industry and what all you do here at Nora Mental Health?

Bianca: 0:50

Yes, so I was born and raised in South Africa. Actually, and coming from South Africa, mental health was a big taboo subject and really not talked about and when I was growing up, I always felt like something was wrong with me and I really yeah, I really wasn't allowed to get the help that I needed and deserved at that point. And I came to America and I was shocked how people were talking more about mental health, but that there's still a big flaw in the system and.

Bianca: 1:20

I wanted to make that change. If I could just help one person who don't feel so alone in their struggles. And that is how I found Nora. I love Nora's vision and we just opened on February 21st and, yes, we have two therapists. We just hired two more. We're really excited to have them with us and we have they're all um professionals and we offer emdr, play therapy, dbt, cbt, trauma focus, cbt. Um. We really are trying to, you know, have as much modalities as we can to help everybody that is wonderful.

Storie: 2:00

So you and your husband started the business yes franchise at this location yes, matt, matt, who's the co-owner?

Bianca: 2:04

my husband, me and your husband started the business yes franchise at this location. Yes, matt, matt, who's the co-owner? My husband, me and him own the Fort Worth location that is so exciting.

Storie: 2:12

So can you tell me what was the transition like coming from South Africa to America? How old were you were young.

Bianca: 2:20

We were a little older, I was 18 years old. Oh wow, I came pretty much right out of out of high school by myself, with you know, no, no family, no support system, no backup oh my gosh, um, it's really scary, I bet, but that's kind of how I really wanted to have a mental health company one day, because I've I've learned so much by myself by myself, when I came to America yeah, so, um, about your services.

Storie: 2:44

I know you gave me a lot of acronyms and I know some of them cause I've I've experienced some. But can you tell me which type of therapy really resonates with you? Or you've seen a lot of result from.

Bianca: 2:57

So all of those modalities I mentioned, I really I really um, like and as good, but something that really resonates with me is EMDR and what is EMDR like an umbrella view of it?

Storie: 3:10

Is it more for like children? Is it for adults? Is it for like veterans? I know they have specifics.

Bianca: 3:18

Yeah. So I know it's younger people can do it, but also a lot of veterans and adults and it's I would say it's more geared towards people with trauma and. Ptsd, trying to work through those, those heart trauma. And like a safe place.

Storie: 3:35

Exactly, that's awesome. Yes, and you also. What resonates with me I'm just going to share as the play therapy. Can you tell me more about that? What age ranges, how you guys kind of do play therapy. Can you tell me more about that? What age ranges, how you guys kind of do play therapy and what it is.

Bianca: 3:47

So our clinical director her name is Rachel and she's amazing and she does play therapy. Okay, we have a whole play therapy room in one of our offices and it's perfectly set up and she starts seeing clients six years and up.

Storie: 4:02

Oh, wow.

Bianca: 4:03

Yes, and then basically just go through like talking with the kids and they play with like toys and stuff like that. Expressing emotions.

Storie: 4:14

Like fun for them. Exactly, I don't even know it's a therapy, no, so it's not as intimidating, I'm assuming.

Bianca: 4:19

Exactly, it's a really like, like, looks like a play therapy. That would have been great for me when I was younger.

Storie: 4:28

I wish I had that around they probably did, I just didn't know about it. So, starting a business, especially in healthcare, what are some of the great aspects of it and what are some of the challenges you've faced, kind of walking through that journey?

Bianca: 4:40

Yes, so taken about a year for us to open and I would say, you know, challenges comes with insurance waiting to be credentialed. So that's been a long journey and we're so excited that we're open now and in network with most most major insurance companies. Um, I would say the positives is helping people now, you know, and, um, helping everybody in our community.

Storie: 5:05

I would say some negative can be that people don't know that we're open, right, You're so close, I know Well, you did just open, so hopefully we can help you with that. So what are some of the wins? I'm assuming congratulations on the opening and you said it was over a year you've been trying to get this facility open.

Bianca: 5:27

Yes.

Storie: 5:28

And it took so long just kind of working through those processes. So we work off of a build, launch, grow scale methodology with Heaven Trinity. What point in that process would you think you guys are?

Bianca: 5:38

I would say we're in the launch, the launch phase. Yeah, really trying to get our name out there.

Storie: 5:43

With the launch phase? What are you utilizing Networking events? Are you using social media? What's helped you so far and what you think will be beneficial in getting your brand out there?

Bianca: 5:54

So I would say I've networked I'm you know I'm a networking a ton right now and building partnerships with different clinics and hospitals.

Storie: 6:05

Oh, wow. So you're going out and meeting these clinics and hospitals and just letting them know you're here.

Bianca: 6:10

Yes, yes, and let them come see our facility as well and just see how we can, you know, work together. That's awesome. If our clients need a higher level of care, we can send them to where they are and vice versa, if they need to step down.

Storie: 6:22

Yeah, so like a mutually beneficial partnership.

Bianca: 6:24

Exactly yeah.

Storie: 6:25

That's awesome. So what are your goals within the next six months year? Three years for Nora.

Bianca: 6:33

I have a big vision and I think the goal would be to have at least, you know, eight to 10 therapists at Nora Mental Health, fort Worth and just help so many people we can in the community. That is my, that is why we have Nora, so I want to help as many people as I can. That's the. That's the biggest goal, and Matt and I would love to have more locations would be the future.

Storie: 6:59

Awesome to really help. I mean, mental health is, I think it's more apparent now for sure than it used to be. Well, I hope so anyway. I know in the schools I have children in, you know, mid-teens, so they're always going through it. But it's different now.

Bianca: 7:15

It is different.

Storie: 7:17

The stressors we had when we were younger are very different. With the digital aspect of it, since you're in the launch phase right now, um, what um type of networking groups are you a part of? What cities and locations are you wanting to network with?

Bianca: 7:32

so we are a part of fort worth chamber of commerce as well as benbrook chamber, Jam of Commerce. We partnered we just partnered with Pathlight, Mood and Anxiety in Fort Worth, as well as Mesa Springs and Innovations, which is their outpatient treatment and I think that one's a little more.

Storie: 7:52

You're closer than Mesa Springs would be right. We're pretty close either way, but also we've partnered with with other places with other places as well, and you're enjoying that partnership so far I am, I am, we also are a part of the mental health connections oh, okay group that we we go to, and we have different events there as well so you guys um have therapists that are um do in-person therapy and do you do?

Bianca: 8:18

virtual therapy yes, so our therapists do in-person and virtual that which is great, so we can reach everybody in tex.

Storie: 8:25

Yeah, Cause I know like sometimes when I got off work I didn't want to get back in traffic and drive to my therapist office, even though I loved her Um, so it's easily accessible for the kids and the adults. Exactly, yeah, and that's awesome.

Storie: 8:38

Well, I'm really excited to come see you guys, because I'm just curious at this point that there it's great that there's so many more health, mental health, wellness facilities like yours to really help people that have gone through this struggle. So thank you for that. But what would you say is one bit of advice you wish you had known prior to starting your franchise. Starting your franchise?

Bianca: 9:03

Advice I wish I would have known is when I was going through my you know, I I struggled a lot growing up and I went through really dark periods of times and I felt really alone and I felt, like you know, like you always ask the question why, why is this happening, why, why am I like this way? And I wish somebody told me, bianca, like there's a reason for this, because one day you're going to be able to help other people and give them hope and you're going to say you know, there's people out there, professionals that you know, that try to help them, but they've never really struggled with similar issues.

Storie: 9:41

So it's kind of hard to relate, absolutely.

Bianca: 9:44

I feel like if somebody could say say Bianca, one day you can help people because you you've walked the walk you know and um, I think that would have helped me so much.

Storie: 9:52

I agree. I think, just hearing from someone else that they've walked through it too and being able to feel that is important. It would make me trust people a lot more.

Bianca: 10:02

I agree, that's. That's how I feel too, and just being a survival guide for somebody else. And that gives me a big purpose for my life, yeah.

Storie: 10:11

Man Well, I can't wait to have you on the show in eight months to see how, how you guys have grown. Um, if anyone wants to learn more about what you guys do, or or learn more about your services, how can they reach you?

Bianca: 10:22

So we have a LinkedIn page Nora Mental Health, fort Worth Awesome. We also have a website. If you just say Nora Mental Health and you can go to locations and click on Fort Worth and you can see who our team is as well. And you can always reach me on my email. Okay, be LaRue at.

Storie: 10:40

NoraMentalHealthcom. Do you have a mentor? That's kind of walked you through it? Who do you look up to and receive guidance from? That's helped you kind of be where you are today.

Bianca: 10:49

Yes, so my dad definitely my number one person I look up to he's no longer with us but, it's okay, but he is amazing. It was an amazing leader left, came from nothing, pulled something amazing a big legacy in South Africa and my brother, who is still back home in South Africa. I look up to him. He always thinks of new ideas to be better and do better, and he's just someone I rely on right now to be better be a better leader in the community.

Storie: 11:21

That's amazing that you do have that support, Near or far it's still there. Yes, so that's wonderful. It's great to have. Well, thank you, bianca, and to all of our listeners out there, please get in contact with Bianca, even if you're just curious about what the services are, reach out, it'll help. We'll see you next time on Market it With Atma you.