Meet Rachael DuBose | Mental Health Counselor & Healing Journey Facilitator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachael DuBose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachael, how do you define success?
I define success as being able to wake up every day excited about fulfilling your passion and being motivated to keep going despite internal or external hardships.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Be the Light was established in April 2020 and began seeing clients in 2021, due to the increase in requests for counseling services as a result of the global pandemic. Services offered include individual counseling, clinical supervision, administrative supervision, diagnostic assessment, and mental health trainings/presentations/workshops. Be the Light as an organization is most proud of its ability to provide the community with accessible resources, authenticity in service delivery, and connections to organizations that are working hard to help healing occur on a community-wide level.

The road to success as a mental health professional has been mostly smooth, but not without its challenges. Burnout among mental health professionals is very common and, I too struggled with being overworked and underpaid. The decision to be in full-time private practice was a difficult one, as entrepreneurship was not something I saw many examples of during my childhood. Being your own boss sounds great until you are in it and realize it takes time and patience to get yourself where you want to be. Entrepreneurship also taps into the insecurities of “Will people want to pay to hear me talk?” or “Will I be able to be financially stable?” and even “What if this doesn’t work?” Having a great support system, especially my spouse, friends, family, and colleagues, has been the reason that I have stayed the course throughout this difficult journey.

There have been so many lessons learned throughout my entrepreneurial journey but one that stands out is to get out of my own way. There have been many times that let fear stop me from putting myself out there in a way that would be beneficial, and I am consistently learning that in order to get where I want to go, fear cannot be my guide. I want the world to know from my story that healing is possible and that you are worthy of a peaceful life. My story has been difficult in certain phases, but the struggles have made me appreciate the joy that much more.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you’re visiting Cincinnati, I would recommend my favorite Cincinnati staples including Gold Star Chili, Graeter’s Ice Cream, LaRosa’s, O’Bryon’s Bar and Grill, and a bag of Grippo’s. Supporting local Black-owned businesses is near and dear to my heart, so I would definitely recommend checking out Esoteric Brewing Company, BlaCk Coffee Lounge, Cinema OTR, Cream + Sugar Coffeehouse, Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge, Kickbackscincy, Yakitori Hibachi Lounge, Gee’s Caribbean Style, and Scoop Dawg & Spirits, just to name a few. I love Asian cuisine with my two favorite restaurants being KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia and Sawasdee Thai Cuisine & Sushi. As far as activities, it’s a must to visit Eden Park, Krohn Conservatory, Smale Riverfront Park, Findlay Market, and do a B&B Riverboat Cruise.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband, Mike, deserves so much credit in my success story. He is my biggest cheerleader and always pushes me to be a more confident version of myself, even when my confidence is shaken. I wouldn’t be where I am without his love and support.

Website: https://www.be-thelight.info

Instagram: https://instagram.com/bethelight.info

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaeldubose/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeTheLightLLC1

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@traptherapistofcincy