Today we’d like to introduce you to Loretta Ray.
Hi Loretta, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Loretta Ray. I am a native Houstonian. My journey truly began in 2006 when I made a decision to change my life for the better. I had struggled since the age of 14 with homelessness and addiction. I found a place called Sally’s House that was operated by The Salvation Army, it was a transitional living facility for women recovering from drugs and alcohol. I remained in that program for 8 months, successfully completed in 2007 and went into The Beacon Brigid’s Hope Program, an independent living program to help women such as myself get on their feet while working, but paying minimal rent to establish savings and stability. This program allowed a 1-year stay, I graduated from that program in 2008. It was in this program that I pursued a college education and was awarded yearly scholarships through a local women’s business support network. They were so moved by my story that they supported me through my community college and undergrad studies. Later that year, I married my longtime Beau Gary since 1999, we had different paths we were traveling in the past and it took certain struggles to bring us together where we were ready to seriously commit. While in school, I applied at The Salvation Army Sally’s House, where I was formerly a client and was hired. I held various positions at TSA ranging from receptionist, computer instructor, office statistician, and lastly Caseworker Supervisor. I worked for the TSA for 10 years. By this time, I was in Graduate school at UT Arlington, completing my Master of Social Work Degree. To add context, I obtained my Human Services Degree, and Chemical Dependency Counselor Certification from HCC and my Bachelor of Psychology Degree from the University of Houston. I went to school year-round for 9 years, while married, raising my children and working full time. During my tenure at TSA, I became well respected in the social service community, I served on various boards, and support committees. Conducted commercial campaigns for the United Way, The Salvation Army and was once on the Deborah Duncan Show. I had housed and counseled hundreds of homeless women and men who struggled with addiction and mental health challenges. In 2018, I accepted a position as Program Supervisor and later Program Coordinator of a HUD funded program Harmony House Inc. My tenure at HH really set the tone for what my next goal in life would be; I worked for HH for 2 1/2 years and resigned in July 2021. My husband and I had been operating a small trucking company Velocity Trans & Logistics since 2017 and here I was a licensed counselor and social worker, I knew I wanted to open my own private practice, but I did not want to veer far away from transportation. I met a young lady with LLG Transportation Consultants who was offering coaching in Trucking Compliance, and I will say the rest is history. I obtained a certification as a Department of Transportation-qualified Substance Abuse Professional. What this means, is that employees in safety-sensitive positions governed by DOT; Truckers, Railroad Workers, United States Coast Guard, Aviation etc. when they have a positive drug screen or refuse to test, they have to see a professional such as myself to initiate what’s called the return to duty process. I began conducting these evaluations to determine fitness for duty (in this role my job is to protect the safety of the public) I leased a building in November 2021, and this month makes one year that A Ray of Sunshine Counseling Consultants was birthed. I provide Substance Abuse Evaluations, Drug Testing Services, Individual Counseling, Safety Compliance for Trucking Companies, Business Consulting, Supervisor Training and operate a licensed Commercial Vehicle Title Service “The Trucker’s Concierge.” I also serve as the liaison to the Brigid’s Hope program on the Executive Board of Directors at The Beacon (where I was formally a client). I serve on the Texas Homeless Network Board and as a council member for The Coalition for the Homeless. I am a mother of 2 young women Addisha and Kierra, Grandmother to Peyton, a devoted wife, a homeowner, a recovery advocate and a fitness enthusiast. My ultimate goal in life is to always pay it forward, I know what it’s like to have nothing but a desire to change and I believe it is my God-given purpose to come alongside others and help them get to a better place in life through Awareness, Accountability and Action! Although I experienced many hardships in life, what I thought were liabilities are today’s assets.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Obstacles have been plenty. I would have to say that in life, we have choices and with those choices come consequences. One of my biggest challenges would be overcoming what I know about myself, forgiving myself for the bad choices I made, the effect that it had on the lives of my children and my family. The loss of my maternal grandmother, parents; my stepfather 2015, my mother 2016, my mother-in-law 2017, my sister-in-law 2018, and my paternal grandmother earlier this year. The challenges and uncertainty that come with being a business owner, finding the right staff, have systems in place, bad financial investments. Learning trial and error.
We’ve been impressed with A Ray of Sunshine Counseling Consultants LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets me apart from others is my business is a one-stop shop to meet all of a client’s needs. Whether it’s SAP, Counseling, Trucking Compliance, Drug Testing we can meet their need without a person having to go to several agencies for service.
What I am most proud of brand-wise is the name and what it stands for, when people come to me, they’re usually in a position where life has beaten them down or they need help with their company to get compliant and here I am A Ray of Sunshine providing hope and guidance where there wasn’t before, or they’d been other places and still were in the same predicament.
I want readers to know that I serve with a purpose, with integrity, and that I am skilled in the services that I provide to our client base.
Any big plans?
For the past year or so, my business has done well by word of mouth and very little marketing. I am looking to begin marketing and providing educational content on social media platforms and creating a YouTube channel. I have an amazing story and I want people to know that they, too can achieve their goals in life no matter what happens to them in the past. We do recover!
We just want to continue to grow so that we can serve more people!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rayofsunshinecounseling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayofsunshine_counseling
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arayofsunshinecc
