Meet Joy Riley

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

Hi Joy, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?
One book that had a huge impact on me is The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. This book explores how trauma affects the brain and body, often manifesting physically and emotionally long after the original experience of the trauma.

I read this book during my graduate studies, working towards my degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and it shaped the way I processed trauma. One of the most impactful takeaways I can recall from reading this book was the idea that trauma often occurs at a level deeper than language. Bessel van der Kolk explains the notion that ‘all trauma is preverbal.’ Because trauma is stored in the nervous system many trauma survivors struggle to explain what they feel, their body remembers what their mind is unable to put into words because trauma often bypasses the brain’s language centers.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business is a private practice in mental health. I started my business in August 2024 because I had a goal of starting my own practice to serve communities and individuals in areas where therapy is not always available. I am most excited about the success of my business helping clients improve their mental health.

Business-wise I am still growing, I started taking a lot of continuing education courses in my field of study, attending business webinars on how to run a private practice, how to start an LLC/S corp, registering and attending virtual and in-person meetings that educate you on marketing, web design, and social media presence. I I am where I am today because I have a growth mindset, always willing to learn and grow. I am not where I want to be and I am not where I used to be.

Starting this business by no means was easy, a lot of set-backs, procrastination, self-doubt, learning how to prioritize my goals and not feel guilty. I overcame these challenges by doing my own inner work on my mental health, and learning how to reframe my thoughts, identify irrational thoughts that were not true and replace them with what was true.

A few lessons I learned along the way were, no one is going to fight harder for the growth of your business than you, talking about doing something and actually doing something bring forth different results, and set backs happen, it’s all about how you view them, either as a failure or as a lesson learned.

What I would want the world to know is that we all have a story and a purpose, even if it’s not always clear, it’s there and once you find it go after your goals. Ultimately it doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get there just as long as you get there. That’s my story, my journey has not been easy, and I didn’t allow what other were doing to affect what I was doing or when I was doing because our timing is our timing.

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?
A few places I would take them would probably begin with doing something artsy like the Atlanta Jazz festival or Two hands Pottery, Fayetteville

Then something that is an Atlanta staple the Cocoa Cola Center, Atlanta to try all the different cokes around the world afterwards dinner at Flair foods (Caribbean food), Southern Fire Kitchen, or Nouveau Bar and Grill,

Atlantic Station is also always a great spot, it usually has something new going on often, where you can eat, drink, shop and find entertainment.

Lastly, something outdoorsy, maybe go for a walk or bike ride on the Belt line, or hike and explore the Bamboo Forest in Sandy Springs.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout my sister Chelsea and my daughter Alyssa. I think our life experiences have shaped us into who we are today; resilient encouragers. Alyssa and Chelsea have always been uplifters. We encourage one another, and iron sharpens iron. They have both been impactful in my life in that way; when there are times I have imposter syndrome they remind me I am her!

Website: https://hekancounseling.com

Instagram: @youmattermentalhealth

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/joyriley

Facebook: Joy Eilee

Yelp: Hekan Counseling