WP162 | Creating a Practice That Changes You with Shelby Rhea Miller, LPCC
If you’ve ever felt like your practice is stretching you, shaping you, or even changing you—this episode is going to speak straight to your heart. Today, I’m sitting down with the incredible Shelby Rhea Miller, LPCC, founder of Sycamore Counseling Services, to talk about what really happens when God uses your business to grow you.
Shelby’s story is full of courage, risk-taking, surrender, and the kind of spiritual formation that only comes from stepping into something bigger than yourself. She’s built a thriving practice from the ground up, but even more importantly—her practice has been building her.
In this conversation, we unpack what it means to follow the Holy Spirit in business decisions, how to find joy even when the risk feels huge, and how God shows up in the unexpected twists and disappointments along the way. If you’re a practice owner wondering where God is leading you—or why your growth feels stretching—this episode will encourage you to lean in with faith and boldness.
Let’s dive into “Creating a Practice That Changes You” with my friend Shelby Rhea. You’re going to love this one.
Stepping Into Something Bigger Than Yourself
When Shelby started her private practice, she didn’t step out because the timing made sense on paper or because she had every detail figured out. She stepped out because she felt God calling her to create a space where clinical excellence and Spirit-led care could exist together.
Like so many practice owners, the decision wasn’t just a business move—it was an act of faith.
And when you take a step of faith, transformation is inevitable.
The Practice Builds You
One of the things Shelby said that struck me deeply was this:
“I’m building a practice, sure—but really, this practice is building me.”
Isn’t that the truth?
Our businesses have a way of revealing the places where we cling too tightly, the areas where we struggle to trust, and the parts of us that God wants to grow. Whether it’s hiring, setting boundaries, raising rates, or simply staying steady in seasons of uncertainty—each decision invites us to rely on God in new ways.
It’s not always easy, but it is always refining.
Finding Joy in the Risk
We often think of risk as stressful or scary, but Shelby talked about how stepping out in faith has actually brought her joy. That might sound strange at first—but I get it.
There’s a special kind of energy that comes when you’re operating in your calling. Even when the future feels unknown, there’s excitement in partnering with God and watching Him move in ways you couldn’t orchestrate on your own.
Risk isn’t just about what might go wrong.
It’s about believing in what God might make right.
When Plans Don’t Go the Way You Expected
If you’ve been in business for longer than five minutes, you know that not everything works out the way you hope.
Shelby recently walked through a disappointment in her hiring process—something she thought would move smoothly didn’t. And yet, what amazed me was how quickly she shifted into a posture of surrender.
Instead of spiraling, she said:
“The Lord’s not surprised by this.”
What a beautiful reminder.
When something falls through, God is already holding the next step. Our job is to trust, adjust, and keep moving forward.
Spiritual Practices That Keep Us Grounded
Both Shelby and I have rituals that help us stay centered as practice owners—ways to remind ourselves that the weight of the world does not sit on our shoulders.
Shelby leans back in her chair, breathes deeply, and literally practices releasing control.
I light a candle in my office to symbolize the Holy Spirit’s presence with me.
These small daily rhythms help shape us, soften us, and anchor us in God’s peace—especially when the work feels heavy.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
One of the greatest gifts in this journey is community. Shelby found Wise Practice through this very podcast, and it’s been a joy walking alongside her as God grows her practice and grows her faith.
Owning a practice can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. We’re better when we grow together—encouraging one another, speaking truth, and calling out the potential we sometimes forget we have.
Your Practice Is Growing You Too
If you’re reading this and you’re feeling stretched, unsure, or in a season of big decisions, I want you to hear this:
God is forming you through your practice.
He is with you in your decisions.
He is guiding you in the places that feel unclear.
And He is building something in you that’s even more important than the business itself.
Lean in.
Trust the process.
Pay attention to what God is growing inside you.
Because, like Shelby reminded us, your practice isn’t just something you’re building.
It’s something that’s building you.
Shelby Rhea Miller’s Resources
Links and Resources
Join the Wise Practice Membership Community
Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting
Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram
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Creating a Practice that Changes You with Shelby Rhea Miller, LPCC _ WP 162
[00:00:00] Whitney Owens: Hi, I am Whitney Owens. I'm a group practice owner and faith-based practice consultant, and I'm here to tell you that you can have it all. Wanna grow your practice, wanna grow your faith, wanna enjoy your life outside of work, you've come to the right place. Each week on the Wise Practice Podcast, I will give you the action steps to have a successful faith-based practice while also having a good time.
Now, let's get started.
[00:00:29] Jingle: Where she grows your practice and she don't play. She does business with a twist of faith. It's Whitney Owen and Wise Practice Podcast, Whitney Owen and Wise Practice Podcast.
[00:00:47] Whitney Owens: Hello and welcome back to the podcast. I'm so glad that you're here today. This is episode 1 62. We're gonna talk about creating a practice that changes you with Shelby Ray Miller, and I love Shelby Ray, so I appreciate you girl, for coming on the show and for working with me.
Such a joy. So there's the shout out. I wanted to take a second, especially considering the content of this episode, and talk a little bit more about Wise Practice Consulting. So for those of you that have been with me for a while, you kind of know what we're about, but maybe there's some new listeners that are learning more about what is, what is this podcast really about?
What does faith-based mean? What does Christian mean and, and what are you doing on the show? And so Wise Practice Consulting is a business consulting firm that specializes in faith-based private practices. We run the gamut. It could be somebody hasn't even graduated from grad school all the way up to people with seven figure practices growing and scaling groups.
What brings us all together is our faith, and for us, that's Christianity because it's a way that we relate to one another. In a way that influences how we think about the world, how we think about our mission and how we serve the community. And so some important aspects about Wise Practice Consulting is that our faith is driving the work that we do.
So you're gonna get a different experience than you do with other private practice business coaches who. Focus just on the business side. I like to think of it as business coaching with a spiritual twist or like a little bit of like a spiritual direction within your consultant. Because we're also listening to the Holy Spirit.
We're praying for our practice owners and guiding them on maybe the things that they have questions about in their faith or in their practice. So we're giving. Business advice and spiritual direction in the process. So we also are strategic and bring clarity to practice owners. So we drive through that confusion that you have on not knowing what next steps to take.
Kind of the not knowing what you don't know, and maybe feeling like you are making mistakes and you wish you would stop them. So we're gonna help you stop those mistakes early so that you don't get down that road. We are a community. That helps one another. I am huge on community. In fact, we have a membership community that we meet every week to be able to help one another grow.
And we have an in-person conference once a year in the fall called the Wise Practice Summit. We meet in person. 'cause I believe that we all grow better when we grow together. I love it. That's one of my favorite things about the work I do, is seeing the relationships that are built and how y'all are spurring one another on to do great things in your business.
Another aspect of who we are is authenticity. That you're gonna, you're gonna see what you're gonna get. And even at the conference most recently. People said, gosh, it just doesn't feel salesy. It doesn't feel like I have to be a certain kind of person. It just feels real, like the consultants are approachable people, and I just love that because I wanna make it approachable.
I want to make things easier for you guys. And the other important value of who we are at Wise Practice Consulting is acceptance that we're not gonna judge you based on your background, the way you look, what you believe. Who you are. We accept all people. And even as I think about the love of Christ and the way that he was in the world, he welcomed everyone to the table.
And that is who we are. We're not gonna discriminate. We're not gonna judge, but we're gonna love, and that is something unique actually, I find in this community. We have all different kinds of ways that we think about Christianity, the ways that we live out our Christianity, the ways that we think about politics, but we all come together surrounding our faith and surrounding our practices and in surrounding serving our communities.
So I believe that everything involves God. As we're growing our businesses, God is moving in us. Right. If anything, I'm glad I grew this business. I'm glad I employ these therapists and the admin staff, and I'm glad we serve so many clients, but I'm super grateful for how God has worked in me personally through my practice.
I've had to have great faith and focus on him, and I'm eternally grateful for that. And so in this podcast episode, you're gonna get the real experience of wise practice consulting. 'cause Shelby really does kinda radiate what it means. Like she's growing her practice, she's stepping out in faith, and she is growing as a result of that in her own faith, in the way that she can impact the world.
And it is such a beautiful thing. So I'm excited to introduce you to Shelby Ray today on the Last Practice Podcast.
Hello and welcome back to the podcast. Happy to introduce you to my friend Shelby Ray Miller is the founder of Sycamore Counseling Services and a licensed professional counselor. Sycamore Counseling Services serves clients in Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky, and the practice is about to celebrate. Its.
First year Shelby Ray is passionate about building healthy marriages and helping individuals cultivate resiliency in the face of life's challenges. Thank you for coming on the show.
[00:06:22] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, thank you for having me. I'm excited to share today.
[00:06:25] Whitney Owens: Yes. Well, you and I were having dinner recently and during our time at dinner, we just kind of started talking about how the Lord has used our practices to change us, and it was just so engaging.
I was like, you're coming on the podcast and we're chatting about that.
[00:06:40] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, I think it'll be good. That was a great time to get to connect face-to-face and just talk about how our practices change us too.
[00:06:47] Whitney Owens: That's right. That's right. So before we kind of go more into that, I wanna give people more just just more about you kind of, can you share a little bit of your background, how you got into counseling, and kind of what your life is like right now.
[00:06:59] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, absolutely. I pretty early on in college knew I wanted to be a therapist and that had just come from my own experiences in the profession. I think a lot of us can relate to that. I had had really profound healing experiences in counseling rooms, and I knew that I just wanted to be a part of that, and so took some, some detours and some long paths to get there throughout my twenties.
I took a detour and some academic leadership kinds of things, but then ended up getting my L-P-C-C-A couple of years ago and have served as a clinical counselor in several different group practices. And then now, like you said, Whitney, my own practice is about to turn 1-year-old.
[00:07:37] Whitney Owens: Mm. That's so exciting.
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And so I'm kind of going back and thinking about you. You, when did you join Wise Practice and how did you hear about it?
[00:07:49] Rhea Miller, LPCC: I joined Wise Practice right at the start of 2025. I actually found you through podcasting, so through this podcast is how I got connected with the community and you especially, I was just researching, you know, kind of binging podcasts, getting all of the trainings that I could to feel more equipped to start my practice and, and started listening through your episodes back then, and then joined the community I think pretty quickly after, and then took a few months before we started coaching together too.
Hmm.
[00:08:18] Whitney Owens: Love that. And I go back and I just think about how the Holy Spirit directs and guides us right into the things that we do. And, and even going back and thinking about that call that we had. 'cause truly we were jumping on a call for me to tell you something totally different. And then, yeah, and then we started chatting and I was like.
I, I think we should work together. I, I feel the direction here. And you were like, yeah, let's do it. And we were like, all right. So, you know, and the Lord has been, you know, blessing that relationship and the work that you're doing. So, I dunno, just thinking about how God directs us. So, so going back, you've had a lot of different settings that you've been a part of, and then you were part of a group practice, and then you decided to go out on your own.
So how did you, can you talk a little bit about making that decision and how that was not only a business decision, but really a spiritual decision for you?
[00:09:07] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah. You know, primarily it was a spiritual decision for me. I had, I had had the dream to launch my own practice at a certain phase in my career development, and I did not think it was going to be anytime soon.
Mm-hmm. And so there's some twists and turns in my life. My husband and I, we moved to another part of the state of Kentucky where we're at now out here in Western Kentucky, and I was starting to get familiar with the mental health landscape out here, and there just wasn't a place that was going to let me.
Integrate faith the way that I really feel passionate about. And so it was one of these moments where it, in a rather cavalier fashion, I was like, well, I guess I'll start something. I guess now is the time. And so seeing that need that own the passion that I have for it, but then also recognizing, hey, there's, there's people here who want the intersection of, you know, holy Spirit led clinical counseling.
Mm-hmm.
[00:10:01] Whitney Owens: And
[00:10:01] Rhea Miller, LPCC: started that journey.
[00:10:04] Whitney Owens: That's right. That's right. And so when you think about that and we think about spiritual formation.
[00:10:10] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Mm-hmm.
[00:10:11] Whitney Owens: What do you feel like even in that step, what do you feel like God was kind of producing in you through that?
[00:10:17] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, that was like the first big step in this year of what I call faith building.
Like I am building a practice, but really it's incredibly faith building for me. And there are, there are a lot of stories, you know, since that initial, Hey, I'm gonna do this, that have been what felt like really big jumps in my faith and really big risks that, you know, could have had consequences if, if the Lord was not in it.
And so it's. It has been probably the most faith building thing I've ever done in my whole life in the last year. Hmm hmm.
[00:10:53] Whitney Owens: So that sounds challenging. Doing something that's developing your faith. Do, do you look back and kinda wish that you hadn't done it?
[00:11:00] Rhea Miller, LPCC: No, absolutely not. No. It's way, and I'm gonna talk about this in a minute, but it's way too much fun.
There is so much joy in stepping into the faith building aspect and stepping into risk and, and really it's kind of surrendering to that process of, this is a phrase I say all the time, I am building a counseling practice. Sure. But a far more truthful statement is that this practice is building me.
Mm-hmm. And when I sit in that posture, when I like lean back and recognize, Hey, I'm not actually the one building this, then it's a whole lot of fun.
[00:11:36] Whitney Owens: Mm. You know, most people would probably say what? Like it's fun to have risk, joy, and risk. Like what do you mean by that?
[00:11:47] Rhea Miller, LPCC: I don't know. There's just a freedom to it.
You, you sent out an email to the Wise Practice community this week be about like the joy of waking up early and how you wrestled through that process, but waking up with like this, this desire to work, this desire to get to the things of the practice. And I related to that, I was like, yeah, there is just this energy, it's almost like a, like a harmonizing that happens where it's like, this is like.
Smack dive center of what I feel like I was created to do and, and so there is just an energy and joy that comes from that. Mm-hmm.
[00:12:22] Whitney Owens: Yeah. I obviously, I relate to that. So you took this risk, you found so much joy in starting your practice and. And so how has it been, you know, you haven't quite started your group practice, you're like on the cusp of hiring your first person, but like, before we kind of dive into that, what's it been like just growing your caseload?
How has your faith been through that and like how has your practice transformed you through that process?
[00:12:48] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, that's a good question. You know, it would not be the full story if I said like, you know, every day is just fantastic, right? That's not truthful. There are plenty of days where I'll drive home and I'll be thinking, okay, the calls are not coming in this week.
The forecast of my caseload two weeks from now is not where I want it to be. And when I get too far ahead of myself, right, and I start, start forecasting out several months ahead, then I can feel the anxiety come on and I can feel kind of that like sinking feeling about just like being kind of insecure and untethered to not knowing what the future looks like.
'cause there is just that inherent part of building a caseload and building a practice where none of it's promised for tomorrow. And so when I get too far ahead of myself, I can. I can kind of feel that anxiety start to well up in me. And so then, you know, there's this kind of practice that I do about just like leaning back and I, I physically lean back.
I just did it in my chair a few minutes ago to remind myself like, Hey, I can surrender into this. And if, if the worst happens, and for some reason Sycamore has to close its doors in six months, which I really don't think will happen, but let's say that were to come true and to recognize that and just kind of surrender to that is actually really freeing.
[00:14:08] Whitney Owens: So the idea of surrender. Even. Even you talking about the leaning back reminds me of the biblical, like when people would eat together or Jesus lean back and it's with his friends. I can't remember specific passages, but that idea of reclining is that idea of resting, that idea of trusting and so like you are learning in the new way that reliance on God and that reliance leads to you feeling that freedom.
[00:14:33] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely it has. I like that you used the word trust it. There has been a lot of opportunities to grow and trust, and not just like in my relationship with the Lord, but really in my relationship with myself. If that makes sense. Really trusting what I have to offer, really trusting that I have good things to share into the community, and having the kind of, the boldness and the courage to step out and, and to do that, to risk rejection, to risk people not being interested and to kinda put myself out there has been really trust building.
[00:15:10] Whitney Owens: Yeah, I was thinking just yesterday about practice owners and looking back at my life and like risk is usually when I went to the next level. Now I've made some risks that didn't work. Let's do it. But it's usually when I look back and I go, okay, that was game changer for me. It was usually when somebody really disappointed me.
[00:15:32] Rhea Miller, LPCC: And I
[00:15:33] Whitney Owens: had to step up my game, you know, gave my confidence, or when I chose to rely on other people, you know, so I made an investment. So that could be an emotional investment. But I feel like when I see practice owners make an investment, which usually involves a risk. That's when I see something move to the next level.
[00:15:51] Jingle: Mm-hmm.
[00:15:52] Whitney Owens: Yeah. And that's something we've kind of talked about kind of offline, was this idea of you, you, you noticing that like sometimes you're actually the one getting in the way mm-hmm. Of. Maybe even what you feel like God's wanting you to do is, am I saying that correctly?
[00:16:08] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I was telling you a story about an encounter I had a couple of years ago.
I'll tell it now so that everybody's on the same page. So I was in a really hard season of my life. It was right after a divorce. My whole life was really untethered and insecure, and the people and the things that had shaped who I was for so long, I just wasn't in connection with anymore. And so it was a really kind of untethered season.
I was sitting across from this woman who is a very good friend of mine and she's powerful in her own right. And it was my first birthday after that divorce, and she looked at me and she said, really sharply with a lot of direct kind of concise energy, she said, Shelby Ray, your future is limitless. The only thing that stands in your way is you.
And I mean, Whitney, those words cut me not in a aggressive way, not in a violent way, but in a way where when someone tells you something that's so truthful and you remember them forever. So her words, Tammy's words to me that day were exactly that. It was, there is so much goodness, there is so much capacity, there's so much beauty ahead of you, but how you respond in this season will shape how the rest of your life goes.
And so remember that, and it's been so healing, so transformative for me. I have it on on a post-it note right in front of me on my desk here at the office. My future is limitless. I am the thing that stands in my way.
[00:17:41] Jingle: Mm-hmm. And so,
[00:17:42] Rhea Miller, LPCC: especially with something as risky as starting a group practice or a solo practice, turning group practice, that is on my mind all the time.
Mm-hmm. Recognizing like, I don't know if you relate to this, but how quickly I am to say no. How quickly I am to tear apart an idea before I run with the risk of it. I'm recognizing that like my automatic responses are kind of that mindset of scarcity and I'm like, wait, no, this isn't how I wanna live.
And so I'm kind of training myself out of that, shifting my mindset into a place of abundance and recognizing, yeah, my future can be limitless as long as I let it be.
[00:18:20] Whitney Owens: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I was thinking about that idea of abundance while you were talking, like that's obviously a biblical. Idea that God has got so much more for us than we can even imagine or understand.
Yeah. It's just a matter of us being open to it. Um, and we're never gonna get there if we keep getting ourselves in the way.
[00:18:38] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah,
[00:18:39] Whitney Owens: absolutely. Yeah. I can relate to that on, like, for me it's trusting people, like trusting people to do things well or to do it at my level or to to care about me or care about the practice, you know?
And so. I've had some of the biggest times have been when I took risks on hiring certain people, or, you know, allowing certain people into certain aspects of my business or my life. And yeah, sometimes that doesn't go well and people aren't nice, but a lot of times it does work. And those are the very things that help me go to the next level and just really helped me grow personally, you know?
[00:19:17] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah. I like that. Yeah. So there's a lot of growth on the other side of risk.
[00:19:23] Whitney Owens: Definitely. Definitely. And so when we look at where you're at now, I. You know, how do you feel like, and maybe you're still figuring this out, but like how is God changing and working in you now and using your practice to do that?
[00:19:37] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, that's a great question. I think that there's definitely a, a learning process in that. I'm not sure that's a place I ever want to arrive, but I think right now what I would say that the Lord is doing. Primarily in me is somewhat connected to what you were saying about trusting others, but, but to recognize that I'm not the only one building Sycamore that Sure.
I am the founder and I'm the solo clinician right now, so I'm, I'm doing all the client hours. I'm I. Doing a whole lot of the administrative tasks, but there's also a lot of people around me who the Lord has placed there intentionally, who are helping me build this practice, who are inspiring me or encouraging me or challenging me, and to, you know, to loosen up a little bit and to take this input and direction from, from other people.
It's funny, you know, the vision that I had last August for what Sycamore would look like this August, I mean, completely different. Yeah. Maybe even the vision that I had in July of 2025 is completely different than the vision I have in August of 2025. And so there's this growing edge. I'm a planner. I told you once on a call, Whitney, that like I dream in spreadsheets.
That's so true. Like I take calculated risks. I like knowing all of the possible worst case scenarios so that I can plan for those. And I think to some degree that helps me be successful, but it also keeps me in a small zone. Mm. 'cause I won't take a risk if I can't plan for and mitigate all of the potential fallout.
And so there have been plenty of opportunities in the last six months, especially about, primarily from you about pushing the rate at which I thought I'd grow my practice to a group and recognizing that this was not the plan I had, but that there could be a lot of value in that. And so, mm-hmm. Stepping forward and trusting other people who are.
More seasoned, more experienced, and also just care about Sycamore has been, I think, primarily one of the, the primary ways the Lord has grown me to recognize like, Hey, this isn't just mine.
[00:21:49] Whitney Owens: Mm-hmm. You bring up such an important idea here that really is no perfect answer, but the dynamic as a Christian business owner of.
Understanding the logic and doing the numbers and calculating. Mm-hmm. But also saying, okay, God, here, here's what I've calculated. Here's the wise choice, but what do you want me to do? Yeah. Right. Because sometimes when we follow God, it's like an upside down world. It, it's something different than we ever expected.
But then we look back and we're like, oh, well that was definitely the best decision to make. You know? Yeah. If you feel that way,
[00:22:28] Rhea Miller, LPCC: sometimes. Absolutely. I'm trying to think of a tangible example of that, but I, I think even investing in. Coaching from Wise Practice was that for me. When I had first looked at it, I was like, oh, I wanna do that.
And then of course I get out my spreadsheets and I run the numbers and I'm like, when is this the best choice for my practice? And so I had a date in mind, it was June of 2025. I was like, that's a really comfortable, risk free time to do that. And so I'd scheduled an inquiry call and I was like, let's just get the information.
I'll kind of put it out there that, hey. I'm interested in starting in like five or six months. And so I, I thought I was going down that path and then one day I was actually standing in the kitchen doing dishes and my cell phone rings with a Savannah number and it was you and I was not who I was expecting to work with.
And you were like, I wanna do this and I wanna start now. And I remember being really flattered and I remember getting off the call and thinking, okay, well this is not my plan. And kind of praying through that. Trying to decide, okay, is this the a right risk to take Lord? And felt a lot of peace and felt a lot of alignment that like, okay, let's do this.
Let's run with the opportunity that's in front of me. And so kind of blew my spreadsheets out the window and we started and I wouldn't look back. You know, it's been by far the most. Faith building thing for me in the last six months to push myself, and I think you're really uniquely equipped to do that, but to push myself through this process and to really grow Sycamore in a way that I know would've never happened if I was doing it alone.
[00:24:06] Whitney Owens: Yeah.
[00:24:07] Rhea Miller, LPCC: I
[00:24:07] Whitney Owens: appreciate you saying all those things. Yeah, I, when I think of Wise practice, I think of it as a. It's a business thing, but it's a spiritual thing, right? It's like, yeah, I'm your business coach, but I also am here with you saying, where's God in this? Like, and I'm praying with you and I'm discerning with you, and like we're finding God in the process.
And I, I love that part, but it's like you, you took the risk. You threw out spreadsheets and listen to what you felt like I was leading you into, and it's through that. I mean, at the time you were saying. I think, if I remember correctly, when we first started, you were like, I really wanna improve my solo practice and get it functioning better before I think about a group.
And, and then we went through all the things and it was very clear that you were ready to start a group. So you started down a path that you didn't anticipate and you, I was also thinking about this idea when talking about practices changing us, things that don't work out. Like we, I mean, I can tell you so many stories where I was like, God's told me this.
You know, not audibly, but I like really sense it and then it didn't work out or the very direction I was gonna go in, or this seems like God moving and then it doesn't work out. And just the way that God uses that and you know, obviously you share however much you want to, but I know you had a situation recently that you wanted to work a certain way and then you get a phone call that it's totally not that way.
And like how does that change you and, and mold you?
[00:25:33] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for bringing that up. You know, I think, I think we learned so much through disappointments and I did, I had a really, probably my biggest disappointment so far with Sycamore in hiring a couple of weeks ago. And you know, I was actually really surprised by my reaction.
In the moment, of course, I was devastated by what happened, and it was not consistent with all the plans and dreams that I had made.
[00:26:00] Jingle: Mm-hmm.
[00:26:00] Rhea Miller, LPCC: And I was surprised by how quickly I turned a corner to say, Hey, you know what? That's all right. The Lord's not surprised by this. This doesn't surprise him. And I can be okay in this.
I can be disappointed that this particular thing didn't work out. But I also. I can turn the corner and so it, it was almost automatic, which is not normal for me. Normally, I can feel my feels and and really get into the disappointment, but I think because I have kind of found my way into a pretty surrendered, trusting place with Sycamore, when my Plan A did not happen, I was like, all right, well, I guess I'll find out what plan B is.
Love it. So, yeah.
[00:26:45] Whitney Owens: Yeah, I, I, I can, I can relate to you and I think back on so many disappointments where it built that resiliency.
[00:26:53] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Mm-hmm.
[00:26:54] Whitney Owens: You know, and now when something doesn't work out, I mean, I still get upset, but then I try to go back and go, okay, this has happened this many times. Why do I worry? Like God has always God.
And even, even this morning just driving to work and I was discouraged about some things not working out, and the song came on the radio and just reminded me that like. Even when things don't look right, God has got my heart in his hands. Yeah. And he knows my needs and the future so much better than I do.
Mm-hmm. You know, and it's, as soon as we think, oh, I've got this, I'm fine. God reminds us that, you know, you really don't. And it's like going back to that childlike state of, okay, I just have to trust you and, and I'm always like, why am I back here? You know? But that's me taking the reins myself and trying to do things.
[00:27:44] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, I like that picture. It's kind of a childlike state of just trusting that good things are coming and good things will work out.
[00:27:52] Jingle: Mm-hmm.
[00:27:54] Whitney Owens: Yeah. So do you have any like things you go back to when you're feeling really discouraged? Or not sure where God is moving that you kind of go back to, to help.
[00:28:04] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, I think that I do have several, it depends on the season. I, I really am pretty big on like integrating my relationship with the Lord and my experiences with him into my day. And so I have several like daily routines that I do that help me stay connected. I have like a prayer that I say at the end of every day.
When I walk out of my practice doors and I just remind myself, Hey, I'm leaving these clients in your care, Lord, and I am not going to take them home with me. Like I'm not taking them on the drive home. I'm not taking them into my life and in my heart outside of that office 'cause that's not what I've been asked to do.
And so that is something that I do on the client side of things. But when it, when it comes to the more. Business side of things, which I, I do find that those thoughts linger a lot longer. The risk and, and just the joy and the challenge of being the business owner side of things. I do a lot of deep breathing and a lot of physically leaning back in my chair.
And I have kind of developed that almost like a little ritual of sorts to remind myself like, Hey, I am not in control, and that my feet are still on the floor. I'm still breathing. Like there is still more work to do, but I'm, I'm not in charge of this. And so that's been an important thing for me. I also, I think this is super important.
I have people around me that just tell me how it is. Tell me like, Hey, Shelby Ray, it's not that big of a deal. Or you know, you've survived a hundred percent of the bad days that you've had and they don't kind of echo chamber that disappointment, and that helps me kind of cultivate that resiliency too.
Mm-hmm.
[00:29:45] Whitney Owens: I love that you have the little things that you're doing, like the rituals, and it's through those rituals over and over again that are changing us, right?
[00:29:54] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Mm-hmm.
[00:29:54] Whitney Owens: Right. I have, I love to light a candle. Yeah, I, it's not the best in a building, but we're into candles here at Water's Edge, and so for me it's, it's pulling out the lighter and intentionally lighting it and reminding me that the Holy Spirit exists in this room.
Mm-hmm. Whatever it is that I'm doing, and then blowing it out at the end of the day to say, you know, this, this is, this is complete. You know, and I will walk out and love that. Is, that's just part of kinda what you're sharing. Those rituals do go far. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I have honest, I mean, I've had the honor of working with you.
It's been such a pleasure, and just the joy of seeing God working in you and in me. I mean, it reminds me of as therapists, our clients change us. Yeah. You know, and, and even as a business consultant, like. The people I get to work with change me and create amazing relationships in my life. So I'm honored to have that with you and I really enjoyed this conversation and the way that we could talk about how God's moving in us.
And this will be a continued conversation because he will continue to do that work in us. Is there, is there anything else that we did not touch on that you wanted to make sure to mention
[00:31:04] Rhea Miller, LPCC: today? No, I think, I think we covered the biggest parts of this last year of my life. I think if I were to just sum it up, it's what I said at the beginning, right?
This, our practices are building us and there is just such an invitation to participate with God in that process. And I would say to listeners out there to, to lean into that space and to pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is doing in us, in you as, as we build our practices.
[00:31:34] Whitney Owens: I love that. Well, I appreciate you taking the time to be on the show today.
It's been a treat and I look forward to sharing this episode.
[00:31:42] Rhea Miller, LPCC: Yeah, thanks, Whitney.
[00:31:46] Jingle: So click on follow and leave a review and keep on loving this work we do with Whitney Owens and Wise Practice Podcast, Whitney Owens and Wise Practice Podcast.
[00:32:04] Whitney Owens: Special thanks to Marty Altman for the music in this podcast. The Wise Practice Podcast is part of the Site Craft Podcast Network. A collaboration of independent podcasters focused on helping people live more meaningful and productive lives.
To learn more about the other amazing podcasts in the network, head on over to site craft network.com. The Wise Practice podcast represents the opinions of Whitney Owens and her guests. This podcast is for educational purposes only, and the content should not be taken as legal advice. If you have legal questions, please consult an attorney.
