Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Shawna Akerman, Psychotherapist at Karma Cares, located in North York, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Karma Cares about you. Each individual has the opportunity to reach their potential but feels that their emotions stand in the way. Life throws curveballs that set us on a path of negative, and the skills to make positive decisions are difficult. At Karma Cares, we look at life through a five-flow series to set the foundation for a better journey.

Tell us about yourself

I love to look back on my life and tell the story of my trauma from a positive place. I have chosen to focus on the positive in the work I've done rather than the victim I was. Right now, I have a thriving practice that I can't believe was crafted out of nothing; I have a new relationship that seems to be healthy and happy with incredible communication that has created 15 months of positive interactions. Both my children have moved into adulthood with a lot of success, considering the stories that they lift, and they have been given permission to be who they want to be in life and let go of the judgment of others. I was imprisoned by the opinions of others for many years, trying to fit into the norms and hide my unique perspective and ability to be in uncomfortable conversations. Now that I have stepped into my authentic self and my children have done the same, we are all living in this place of positivity, which, although it still comes with conflict, we have the skills and tools to find solutions and stay positive. If that's not motivation to continue doing everything that I do every day to feel better, I don't know what it is.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

This is such an interesting question for me to answer because I want to be a great psychotherapist. I always wanted to help people see my perspective so that they could reach their potential. I had no idea that that one thought would lead to whole other life. When I moved into this field, I told myself that I was going to say yes to every opportunity, play it out, and take risks. These are not things I was able to do in my marriage or in my job as a teacher, where I was bound by rules. I realized as a psychotherapist, I am bound by a set of rules which I can follow to a certain extent, but there needs to be a piece of me where I can be free to push the limits of the system but stay within it. I have created unique situations for so many wonderful individuals through networking conversations and mentoring in my student placement program. This work feeds my soul by bringing me positivity which allows me to internally heal while also accomplishing all of my goals through mentoring and leadership.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Being a workaholic. I love my job, and I love building it, and I love all the people that are involved in it, so it brings me joy every day. So when I have a free moment, there's always something I want to do for the business because it's bringing me so much joy and financial success. But as a teacher, I used to have an incredible social life. I was often the leader of many past friendships as I had a schedule that allowed for optimal time management. This gave me the opportunity to fit all of the people that I enjoyed having conversations with within my week. But now, I often find that all that of my time is taken up with clients for therapy sessions. As a result, I'm finding that trying to re-create one life while also building a new one presents a lot more challenges than I imagined.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. I would say go to therapy first. Spend the time on yourself, so you can then focus on the business. Know your triggers. Know yourself and know how you deal with conflict. Learn your stress markers and understand how you show up in your relationships. Know how to balance your personal life and your work life and how to set boundaries in each. Those are the things that bring negativity into focus and break up your life.
  2. Entrepreneurs often feel like they are not doing enough. You feel like you are failing because you are working so hard, and progress is slow. The struggle to let go of all the worry is challenging then. I doubt you are finding any place of joy because all of those negative feelings show up in all of your relationships and impact the people in your life. Every book I read has similar principles from the past to the present, from Oprah to children's books and TikTok. We all want to feel good. We all need help to feel good. So how do we support one another with a positive mindset instead of negativity?
  3. Emotional literacy. It's in the place where we can apologize with ease, practice gratitude, forgive ourselves, set boundaries, alleviate worries, and open our minds to solutions. It is the vulnerability to share our stories for collaboration and honest communication.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Talk to someone. Anyone, even yourself, out loud. Thoughts and feelings that stay trapped in your subconscious impact your life at the most inopportune moments.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.karmacares.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AtypicalMentalHeath
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawna.akerman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karmacares4u
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawna-akerman-bba1211a9

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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