Today we’d like to introduce you to Clifton Brantley.
Clifton, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It was at a funeral back in 2004 when I began to ask myself, “What are people going to say about me when I’m gone? Who’s life will I have impacted other than my children?” That put me on the quest to discover my purpose in life and that quest lead to “Marriage and Family Therapist.”
I went back to school at the age of 33 with the goal of one day being in private practice, helping couples do marriage better. Now at 45, I am living the life I dreamed about. Business is thriving and lives are being changed!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I was a single parent of 3 when I started the journey of going back to school. Although it was very difficult, I never thought of quitting because I felt my life’s purpose was connected to me finishing school. I failed the licensing exam 3 times before finally passing.
But none of those things compares to the biggest struggle of failing at marriage, pushing past the shame of that failure to still be a therapist. I became a therapist because I was passionate about relationships, not because I knew everything about marriage. What I have learned since then has taken my knowledge and skill to a whole new level.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about A Better Family Now – what should we know?
A Better Family Now is a place where couples come to save their marriages and learn how to love. It is where people come to find hope and learn how to live the life God created them to live. The thing that brings me the most joy is when the lights come on for someone and they realize that they have been doing marriage the wrong way.
I especially love it when men allow me to walk them thru the process of becoming a husband… something we do not prepare men for when they are boys. What sets me apart is my compassion for my clients. I get paid for what I do but it is not about the money at all. There are not many African-American male marriages therapists. I am good at what I do because God gifted me to be so.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There were various people who encouraged me along the way while I was in school, but there was no one person that was just in my corner the whole time. It was by God’s grace. However, in 2015 life changed when I went to a conference called “Get Motivated Houston” and I met Les Brown.
That is what launched me to the next level and gave a mindset of being successful. I can truly say that if it had not been for God, my story would be quite different. I was on my way to becoming an architect when He called me to this work.
Contact Info:
- Address: 12234 Shadow Creek Pkwy. #1104
Pearland, TX 77584 - Website: www.abetterfamilynow.com
- Phone: 832-562-0482
- Email: clifton@abetterfamilynow.com
- Instagram: therealcliftonbrantley
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/abfnow
- Twitter: @brantleyclifsr
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