Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenai Tidwell.
Jenai, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I relocated to Houston from Indiana in the fall of 2012. I begin working in adult corrections at the Fort Bend County Jail. While working there, I decided that I could take on a part-time job and begin to work evenings and weekends at a local private practice. I fell in love with work at a private practice. I found that those clients were really motivated for therapeutic assistance and we could really see major changes in their life due to our work together. I eventually transition into full-time private practice at that small firm where I learned the inner workings of private practice.
A year and a half later, I decided it was time to spread my wings. I teamed up with Jane Fowler and created Fowler and Tidwell Counseling. Jane and I owned and managed the practice for four years. Just a few years ago, Jane relocated to Dallas with her family and we decided to end our partnership amicably. Now, I am the sole owner of Fowler and Tidwell Counseling. We are now a team of six licensed therapists, three LPC interns, and one graduate student intern. I never would have imagined that I would be the owner of a practice that employs ten people. It has been one of the greatest and biggest learning experiences of my life. However, I would not trade it for the world.
Throughout my time in counseling, I’ve come to find my passion in what I call holistic mental health. This is an approach to mental health that looks at the mental health diagnoses, but also many lifestyle components including nutrition, sleep, stress management, movement, and one’s support system. This is the foundation of my second practice, The Hartwell Clinic, which I founded with my best friend and partner, Nacole Hart Wheatley. At The Hartwell Clinic Team, all of these components are discussed within every counseling session in order to bring about more complete health and healing. Here we have a team of three therapists and one administrative intern.
Then in late 2018, I became good friends with Dr. Kayce Solari Williams. She and I had so many shared values and interests in regards to health and wellness. It led to a great partnership and collaborations of moments to educate the public about holistic health. Through this collaboration, Be Well Health Resources was born. We are a company that focused on individuals and communities by providing education about holistic health and connections to comprehensive wellness resources. We give tips and tools that people and implement with ease and begin to see change in their daily lives.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I would say that starting up all of these organizations was pretty smooth. All of the partners I have had were amazing women with dedicated work ethic and belief that we could be successful in what we put out minds to. But the growth and learning how to own and run multiple business while also being a practitioner has been a balancing act that is hard to get right. I often feel challenged in not giving enough time to the growth to all three businesses or the development of my skill set through research, reading, and continued education.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Fowler and Tidwell Counseling is a private practice that sees clients with an array of issues. I chose a team that had different specialties so that we could help as many individuals possible within our community. We have therapist that specializes in eating disorders, autism spectrum disorders, child and young adult issues, LGBTQIA issues, mood disorders, and individual and family counseling.
The Hartwell clinic is a holistic mental health clinic that focuses on the whole person. As stated before, in sessions we discuss the mental health issues of a client along with their nutrition habits, movement and exercise, sleep, support systems, and stress levels. We also have other offerings including micronutrient testing and food allergy panels to assist individuals in learning how their bodies could be responding to certain foods and causing unwanted symptoms.
What were you like growing up?
As a child, I was pretty quiet and shy. I have always been taller than most of my peers, so I tried to not stand out anymore than I already did. LOL. I begin to blossom as I entered into high school and made the drill team. I think there I begin to grow in my leadership abilities and see that I had the skill set of connecting with people in order to make them feel comfortable in following me. I have had and have a very calm personality. I was often known as the mother figure of most of my friend groups in high school and college. Even today, many of my friends lean upon me to sound advice and wisdom. I have always been pretty levelheaded and stayed calm during crisis or adversity.
Growing up, I also loved to clean and organize. Having things in order brings me peace. To this day, if I am overwhelmed, I want to put things in order to think clearly and problem solve. I have been told and I feel that I am a very spiritual person and have a strong faith system. I call upon this when determining my next and best move. My interest includes dance, singing, the arts, jogging, and healthy cooking. I am a sucker for a good nerdy documentary and I love to learn.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1. Fowler and Tidwell Counseling – 7155 Old Katy Rd. Suite N244 Houston, TX 77024
2. The Hartwell Clinic – 7155 Old Katy Rd Suite N225 Houston, Tx 77024
3. Be Well Health Resources - Website: www.fowlerandtidwell.com/, www.thehartwellclinic.com/, www.bewellhealthresources.com
- Phone: 1. 832-831-8379 / 2. 713-280-7979/3. 713-678-0216
- Email: 1. mail@fowlerandtidwell.com/ 2. info@thehartwellclinic.com/ 3. info@bewellhealthresources.com
- Instagram: 1. @fandtcounseling/ 2. @hartwellclinic/ 3. @bewellhealthresources
- Facebook: 1. @fowlerandtidwell / 2. @hartwellclinic / 3. @bewellhealthresources
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