Many turned to therapist Sarah Murray as the pandemic hit – learn how she put herself and her business first

The Block Advisors’ Small Business Resilience Series celebrates small business owners who have persevered through challenging times to find success. In this spotlight we feature, Sarah Murray.

Meet Sarah: A devoted therapist and pillar of support 

Sarah Murray is a therapist with her own practice in Denver, Colorado – Heart Wild, LLC – Therapy & Wellness Coaching. Sarah has faced the challenges of not only owning a small business, but also supporting clients emotionally amid a pandemic that has caused so much damage.

Fortunately for Sarah, her business grew substantially due to the increased demand for mental health services and counseling during the pandemic. Simultaneously, she also had to adjust to other priorities and learn how to navigate the uncertainty and worry of the ongoing health crisis while still supporting her clients.

Sarah splits her time between working from home and her office. “It’s been interesting to be a therapist during the pandemic and support as many people as possible and also find time to support my business and my own wellness,” Sarah says of finding the balance between helping others and herself.

A quality over quantity approach to healthcare

In her words:

When you think of a small business, your first thought isn’t a mental health counseling practice, but it’s almost the same as running any other small business. It takes a lot of work, especially when you’re trying to navigate through the pandemic at the same time. When many businesses came to a screeching halt, mine went into overdrive. People needed therapy, maybe more than ever before. This took a different kind of resilience.

I wasn’t necessarily prepared when everything shut down, and it seemed like the entire world stopped. But I did know that I needed a plan to ensure my clients felt my support, even if I couldn’t see them face to face. As a business owner and therapist, I rely on support. At the beginning of the pandemic, I started to ask, “Who are the people I need and want in my life?” For me, it’s been about reassessing people in my community — connecting with people in my field has helped me feel that mutual support.

As a therapist during the pandemic, clients looked to me for all the answers, but I (and my colleagues) didn’t have them.  We also needed support at that time, too. That’s why relying on my community and banding together with my colleagues was useful and a means of support for me and my business. Being able to virtually connect with others has been an immense help for my business’s continued success and my own mental health.

Within the past two years, mental health and well-being have become a trending hot topic. I have seen this as a positive change to help decrease stigma surrounding the topic. The biggest lesson I have learned during the pandemic is the importance of adjusting and flexibility when it comes to my business and the importance of not getting stuck in the past instead of focusing on moving forward and adapting. That’s what I feel my clients need the most from me at the moment. Owning a small business has allowed me to offer therapy in a way that I feel is beneficial.

And for me, that’s quality over quantity. It’s not about the number or how many people I’m seeing, but instead asking myself, “Are we helping people?” and “Are people getting better or making progress?” That to me is more intentional and the most valuable thing about owning my small business.

I feel lucky to help support others on their own resilience journeys today and over these past couple of years.

When it comes to small biz taxes, Sarah is the one seeking help

Sarah has been a Block Advisors and H&R Block customer since 2018. She went with Block Advisors because she needed somebody reliable and accessible. Her small business certified tax pro, Britney Armenta in Commerce City, Colorado, has earned Sarah’s complete trust and confidence since their relationship began. After transitioning to virtual visits, Sarah continues to work with Britney online. She counts on Britney’s capabilities and expertise to make her filing process seamless.

“Britney was very available, even during the busy tax season, and she helped me find ways to receive a larger refund,” Sarah says.

Block Advisors by H&R Block has small business certified tax pros on hand online and in-person. Let Block Advisors assist you with your small business tax, payroll, and bookkeeping needs so you can get back to doing what you love.