Meet Miesha Rice | Psychotherapist & Life Coach

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

Hi Miesha , do you have a budget? How do you make lifestyle and spending decisions?
Contrary to popular belief, I am happy to discuss finances. I do have a budget, maybe a little unconventional, but I do calculate my monthly expenses, calculate my monthly income, determine the excess, save a percentage, I sow seeds into the community, and I make sure to reward myself for all my hard work as well. I tend to have tunnel vision at times when I am working, so I also make time to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

I make lifestyle decisions based on a certain percentage of my income. I was in a situation years ago where someone was negligent with documentation of my work hours and paid time off; I was in a very serious situation and was not able pay my bills and was facing eviction. I vowed to never be in that position again in life, and that lead me to starting another business to further diversify my streams of income. I never want anyone, or any situation, to have that much power over me again. For me, that is a horrible feeling, and I don’t thrive well in that place.

My spending decisions are based on what I have saved, what I need to pay, what I need to save, and what financial goals I am working towards. I like nice things and do like to spend on traveling and fine dining, but I am also extremely disciplined when I need to be. I used to operate from a belief of “I don’t have enough”, but now, I tell myself as much as possible that, “I always have enough, I am a money magnet, God always provides, I am wealthy, and I am deserving of wealth”. I changed my thoughts and beliefs around money, and it has truly changed my life. 

What should our readers know about your business?
I have 3 businesses that are in operation right now. I am a licensed Cosmetologist. I completed my Cosmetology training at the AVEDA Institute in Atlanta, GA. I have been licensed since 2006, and I initially learned how to style hair from my grandmother who had a salon in the basement of the home I grew up in. I operate a mobile hair salon for people who have challenges traveling to a normal salon setting.

I have more recently started a mental health private practice, Whole Family Healing Group, LLC, and a life-coaching and counseling business, Miesha Lynette, LLC. With those entities, I can diagnose and treat mental illnesses and substance use issues, as well as coach and counsel people who are looking to either start and maintain a business, or who are working towards changing their lives for the better and soar to new heights. I transitioned to this field after taking time off from my career in entertainment and media to care for my mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, I have merged both careers in mental health and entertainment and media, advocating for more easily accessible mental health and substance use services for people in the entertainment industry.

What I am most proud of is that through all my businesses, I get a chance to give back. With the mobile salon, I service seniors, busy moms, and expecting moms who are not able to travel to a salon for various reasons. Through my mental health agency, I get to help Whole families heal, and I can train students and newly licensed clinicians, while also consulting other practitioners on how to start and open their own practice. I don’t want people to make the same mistakes that I made, and I didn’t have many people help me when I got started, so I want to share all that I have learned with the goal of preventing another professional from wasting time and money unnecessarily. With the coaching and counseling business, I get a chance to coach people on things such as how to achieve and sustain massive weight loss, counsel Entertainment Industry Executives, Stage Crews, Artists, and more, on how to successfully achieve proper work/life balance, manage anxiety, fears, stress, drug and alcohol abuse, depression and more.

I am excited about many things! Whole family Healing Group is expanding into the Caribbean.  We have hired our first Spanish-English translator, Jonatan. He is from the Dominican Republic and will be working with us to offer much needed translation services to our Spanish speaking communities in need of help. We will also offer the same to other small businesses, big corporations, schools, non-profit agencies, and more throughout the world who need the same. I am in the process of becoming fluent in Spanish, so he will help me as well until I am able to conduct the services in Spanish on my own. The time is so right for this because as we saw not too long ago, the community in Texas where all those beautiful-sweet children and teachers were killed. That was primarily a Spanish speaking community. Can you imagine the great need for various types of services they need!? Many times, we see that many of the children can speak and engage in English, but it is not always true for some of their parents and loved ones who may have migrated here later in life. That community is trauma and grief stricken, and they will need help from practitioners and agencies who may not be in the immediate vicinity.

I have also signed with Brooks Talent Management and Sovereign Talent Group in Los Angeles, California. They will manage my career as it pertains to being a mental health professional in media and entertainment. I am really excited about this because I spoke this into the Universe about 2 years ago, and it is all coming to fruition. I have wanted to return to my roots in media and entertainment, while also utilizing my skills in mental health and substance use. Starting in July, I will be touring the country with A38 Films as a cast member, and one of the Executive Producers, for the documentary film HUSH (Help Us Say Help). HUSH is a 90-minute documentary that discusses the origins of generational trauma and access to mental health resources within Black communities across the United States. We will be making stops throughout different cities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, and more!

Business-wise, I got where I am today by simply taking risks, studying, conducting research, being mindful of my thoughts and beliefs, retraining my thinking patterns, overcoming fear, a lot of prayer, meditation, faith in God, consistency, and never giving up on myself! Also being sure to take care of my mind, body, and spirit always, even force-feeding positive messages into my brain when I am not able to think it on my own.

Was it easy!? HECK NO!!!! IT IS NOT EASY! Honestly, I don’t want it to be easy. To whole much is given, much is required. I have more of an appreciation for being able to overcome in life. My story is that of the lotus flower…. I have been faced with many hardships in my life. I lost my best friend-my mother, but no matter what, I have managed to push through all the muddy waters and hard times; I am resilient. Like it says about the lotus flower, I am a survivor who pushes her way through challenges and will repeatedly overcome and achieve. I will always strive to show people that life is, and can be, beautiful on the other side, and there is still beauty to be found even in the mud.

Lessons that I have learned along the way are that fear is nothing but false evidence appearing real, and that sometimes you must make painful decisions of letting people go from your life to have peace internally and externally. Holding onto hurt and pain from what someone else did to you only stifles your life, not theirs. It is best to dig deep, be honest about what you are feeling, and do your best to release all that is keeping you in repetitive and holding patterns of mental and social dysfunction. Life is too precious and too unpredictable to have regrets. The universe will respond to your thoughts and beliefs, so be mindful of what it is you are replaying in your mind and what you believe about yourself. This is important to do on a conscious and subconscious level. Lastly, always diversify your streams of income. It will give you freedom!!

What I want the world to know is that Whole Family Healing Group is a healing place for the whole family, and we have a mission to serve individuals, children, and families around the world. With Miesha Lynette, LLC, the mission is to help people soar to higher heights in life when they feel defeated or of-course. For those in the entertainment industry, using my skills and training in mental health, I’m able help them to successfully manage stress, fears, family issues, and the demanding schedules that go along with working in the entertainment business.

I also want people to know that this has not been an overnight success. I have had businesses before that were not successful, but I didn’t allow that to deter me from starting over again with new ideas. I have about 2-3 other business ventures in the pipeline waiting. I’m always thinking, always working on something. There have been many days where I had 0-4 hours of sleep, waking up at 4am to meditate. Then working on my business before heading to my morning workouts. From there, I could still have another 12-14 hours of work to do. You don’t know how much I pray to God, saying thank you for His strength, grace, and mercy over my life. I also ask for wisdom, guidance, direction and have faith for the showing of answers.

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?
My favorite spot in Atlanta right now is I Juiceheads ATL. I LOVE that place!! I recommend anybody who has a friend visiting town to check them out!! Their juices and smoothies are AMAZING! I also recommend and one of my Sorors’ spot, Slutty Vegan ATL! I’m eager to hear everyone’s experience when they go! So please hit me up on social media and let me know!! Other than that, some good ole’ shopping never hurts.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, I must thank and give all honor and praises to God for everything. Next, I must give a shoutout my Mother, Myra Lynette; May her spirit continue to soar in peace. I am where I am in my life, and I am clear on who I am in my life because of her strength and unconditional love shown to me. My Mom was a single parent, and she worked hard, put herself, and me, through college, built businesses, and instilled in me a solid spiritual foundation with which I can build and re-build my life upon today.

Then I must shoutout my Aunties and Cousins on both sides of my family. They are my village, and my GMommy Ann Nesby and her Husbanger Tim.  They all keep me sane, feeling loved and grounded in Spirit.  The other people that I want to shoutout are my mentor Orin Howard, I have been successful in this field largely due to him and his teachings.  My fitness teams- My Spin Cycle fam, Kathy, Tonya, Rob, and Marcia. They have been in my corner cheering me on for the past 5 years. Most of all, I must give a very special shoutout to my Coach and Fitness Trainer of almost 13 years now, Monte Sanders of the MBS (Mind, Body Spirit) Fitness Lab. I started training with him in 2010, shortly after my Mom passed away. I was over 330 pounds, and for years, I would show up and he would encourage me to keep going. Knowing how broken my mind, body, and spirit was, he gave me the blueprint to change my life from the inside out. Those workouts contributed greatly to a 138-pound weight loss. At times, I am pushed to tears during those workouts because they are grueling. I am working past what I think and believe I can do. When I do that, it helps me to be successful in other areas of my life, especially with business.

Website: https://wholefamilyhealinggroup.com ; https://mieshalynette.com

Instagram: @wholefamilyhealinggroupllc ; @mieshalynette

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrice8/

Twitter: @GroupWhole

Facebook: @wholefamilyhealingg

Image Credit Myron Fields-@mfieldsphotography Ava-@SoulPhoPhotography Hair-Alicia Taylor-@weavingwithli Hair-Bryan-@thathairguy Makeup- Marcus Miller- @makeupmanmae Makeup- Leona Emm- @leonaemm