We recently had the chance to connect with Jessica Bush and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
As a Psychotherapist, one of the most surprising things I’ve learned about my clients is how much strength they carry without recognizing it. Many come in believing they’re “broken,” behind, or failing—when in reality they’ve been surviving systems, trauma, and expectations that were never designed with them in mind. What surprises me most is how often people blame themselves for pain that is actually contextual—racism, generational trauma, family roles, cultural silence around mental health. Once they realize, “This isn’t a personal flaw; this is something that happened to me,” the shift is powerful. Healing accelerates when shame is replaced with understanding. I’ve learned that people don’t come to therapy because they’re weak. They come because they’ve been strong for too long—often alone.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Jessica, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 16 years of experience in medical and mental health settings. I’m the owner of Healing For The Soul, a private mental health practice focused on helping individuals and families heal, grow, and reconnect with their sense of self through culturally responsive and compassionate care.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked with diverse populations across healthcare systems, private practice therapy, homeless outreach, intensive outpatient (IOP) groups, and inpatient treatment settings. I’m also the author of Ratchet & Healing, a guided journal available on Amazon that encourages readers to embrace both their authenticity and their personal growth. My work blends clinical expertise, lived experience, and creativity to make mental health tools accessible, relatable, and empowering—because healing doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a witty, joyful child—curious, playful, and naturally expressive. I laughed easily, asked a lot of questions, and wasn’t afraid to take up space or speak my mind. I moved through the world with lightness and confidence, trusting my instincts and my voice without overthinking how I was being perceived.
As I grew older, expectations, responsibilities, and survival slowly taught me to soften that version of myself, to be more careful, more polished, and more palatable. Healing has been about reconnecting with that original version of me—the one who found joy in being herself without apology. That witty, happy child is still there, and much of my work today is rooted in helping others remember who they were before the world started giving them rules for who they should be.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain when I realized that being misunderstood didn’t mean I was broken—it meant I was speaking a language some people weren’t ready to hear. For a long time, I learned how to smile through discomfort, minimize my feelings, and make myself easier to digest so others wouldn’t feel unsettled by my truth. That silence was heavy.
Using my pain as power began when I gave myself permission to name what hurt without shame. I stopped shrinking to fit narratives that were never written for me and started honoring my experiences as valid and meaningful. What once felt isolating became fuel—for my healing, my voice, and my work. Now, I understand that my story doesn’t need universal understanding to be powerful. It just needs honesty.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I deeply admire Michelle Obama for her character, not her power. She embodies grace, integrity, and authenticity in a way that never feels performative. Even while navigating global visibility and immense pressure, she has remained grounded in her values, her family, and her sense of self.
What stands out most to me is her ability to be both strong and soft, confident and reflective. She leads with empathy, humility, and truth, showing that character is not about dominance or titles—it’s about consistency, courage, and staying rooted in who you are, even when the world is watching.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
If I retired tomorrow, I think what people would miss most is feeling truly seen and understood without judgment. I bring warmth, honesty, and a deep level of presence into every space—whether through therapy, my writing, or my work in the community.
My clients often tell me they value that I hold both compassion and accountability at the same time. I don’t rush the process or sugarcoat the work, but I meet people exactly where they are and walk with them as they heal. That combination of clinical skill, realness, and genuine care is what I believe would be missed most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://healingforthesoul901.my.canva.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healingforthesoul_901/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-bush-1bab147b
