Meet Justen DeBowles | Licensed Professional Counselor

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

Hi Justen, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Going back as far as my high school years in public school, I have always had an interest and passion for people, their motivations, their behaviors, and more. As I matriculated throughout Morehouse college, I would continue to engage with my peers and friends. Over time I began to realize that many of my colleagues and friends did not have healthy outlets to relieve stress and self-care was but a mere afterthought when it came to managing their mental health. I would continue to observe this trend as I continued throughout my education goals and started to work in the psychological field. So I took it upon myself to be a shoulder and a listening ear to people, if for no other reason but to help them feel seen, heard, and understood. In the early years of my career, I would work in various agencies and consistently hear from various clients that they were grateful to find a black male providing therapy and a safe-space for themselves and their families. However, working for agencies would prove to give excellent experience, but did not allow me to truly operate in the most effective and impactful way to aid in the healing of my clients. Therefore, after about 6 years working in state and private agencies, I finally felt that I had enough experience, support, and my own personal experiences to start a counseling practice where I can truly put my professional and personal skills to use and provide a safe and comfortable place for my clients to explore their stressors and make impactful change in their lives.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business, Justen L. DeBowles LPC, is a solo professional counseling practice where I work with individuals, couples, and families. I work with my clients on better while also understanding their own mental health and how it is impacted by their world around them and discovering their own strengths and purpose in life. What help sets me apart is multi-faceted. In a modern world where so many professions are transitioning to digital and virtual landscapes, I feel that there is immense value in building a relationship that takes both verbal and nonverbal interactions into person. Therefore I continue to offer in person sessions for any and every client that I see. I also bring a very personable and practical approach to my sessions that helps clients feel a sense of closeness and trust with me, prioritizing the therapeutic relationship and enhancing their mental safety with me. One of the aspects of my business that I am most proud of is how I was able to not only keep it open throughout the recent pandemic years, but it continued to grow. I believe this happened due to the genuine approach that I bring to my clients along with some of the social and professional relationships that I have made over the years providing me support, and I can acknowledge that without these things I would not be at the level where I am today. This was absolutely not an easy process, and there were many times throughout the pandemic that I wondered if it was sustainable to build a physical counseling practice during a time when people were trying to stay as far away from each other as possible. However, I found myself able to continue serving while also making sure to provide a physically and mentally safe space for myself and my clients throughout a difficult time that the entire world was going through. When I think about lessons that I’ve learned along the way, there have been multiple, however two stand out. The first one is when you truly love what you do, not only does it not feel like work but others can see the passion that you have for it and that passion is what allows you to grow. Another lesson that I have learned to adapt to the hard times rather than anticipate the negativity that comes with them. Anticipation can sometimes cause us to hesitate or potentially hold ourselves back whereas adaptation involves continuing to move forward and then adjusting to the various curves that life and work can throw at you. Both of those lessons continue to carry me far throughout the ups and downs in this professional journey of owning and operating my own practice.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What a fun question! First, to set up our week, lets start small on a Sunday with lunch in the city. Atlanta and its metro area has such a wide variety of eateries that anything could be found. Going from there, any weekend day at piedmont park or possibly the Beltline always offers a variety of social events to partake in. Throughout the work week I believe that we can consistently pick a different side of Atlanta every day and encounter a different feel and vibe, with great food, bars, and various activities every night of the week. Tuesday would almost certainly include a Tin Lizzy visit. To me, Thursday starts the weekend, so we’re going to a brewery or sports bar to start the weekend with other sports fans with wings and Thursday Night Football. Fridays and Saturdays become somewhat of a blur as the city continuously offers what feels like an infinite possibility of activities, places, and events to engage in, but expect to find us in the Battery enjoying the social scene at Punch Bowl or one of the cities lively Cigar bars.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Being that I work in a manner that touches on the social and familial influences that an individual experiences, I would be remiss if I did not give credit to the individuals that have been pivotal in shaping my development. Before any mentors, before friends, there was my immediate family. My father stands out as one of my largest influences in the development of my personality as it pertains to the individual that would grow up to be the Professional Counselor and overall person that I am today. My father taught me and raised me to take pride in being a good person and exhibiting a sense of care for others, a skill that has proven to be so vital for the work that I do. Throughout my journey, it has allowed me to build relationships across so many organizations and groups. From my clinical supervisor, Jennifer, and my office partner, Bianca, to all the men of The Counseling Brothers of Atlanta, I have had the pleasure of having a relationship with great individuals and being in influential spaces that have continued to aid in my own personal and professional development.

Website: https://www.justendebowleslpc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justendebowleslpc/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justen-debowles-lpc-23b97038/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustenDeBowlesLPC/

Image Credits
Justen DeBowles