The following story perfectly illustrates transformation yet warns of the damaging affects we can have when we don’t understand the process of growth, the boundaries we must have in place when serving our clients or the negative impact of enabling.  I have posted it here for you to read so that you may gain better insight into what Steps Toward Success, LLC. is all about.

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it had and it could go no further.
Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. 
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. 
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.  (author unknown)

This analogy is not only the design concept for my company’s logo but it also sets the tone for most of my work as a Licensed Professional Counselor, Training Facilitator and Conference Presenter.  I hope that you will see the value in the information and inspiration found on this site and take advantage of the many resources offered here.  It is our desire that our company become a premium resource for professionals in the mental health field.  Should your have any questions, feel free to add a comment in the field below and one of our resourceful staff members will respond to you promptly.

Respectfully Yours,
Wanda Brown-Ramseur

In a recent interview, Wanda responded to the following questions:

What makes your company unique to clients?
My approach is very non-traditional.  I call it “restoring the human touch”.

How do you ensure your clients receive the best service?
I educate myself on the current trends in practice by attending workshops and actively seeking out other educational opportunities that teach from the latest research.

Why should a potential client/business hire your company?
Because I am committed to being an innovative leader in healing and empowering clients to believe that they can change their lives.  I give my clients information and educate them so that they will understand the root causes of their problems which tends to inspire hope and helps them develop a “yes, I can” attitude.  Teaching clients pro-social skills helps them build their self-esteem, increase awareness on how to take steps toward breaking patterns of generational self-defeating behaviors.

I believe people can change, regardless of their past.  I encourage them by telling them “today is a new day”.  I know that providing the highest quality behavioral health services available is the best way to help clients reach their goals.

Do you have any advice for clients when deciding between counselors/companies?
Always select a therapist who has an attitude of compassion, who listens more than they talk, who can see beyond your assessment and can feel your frustration.  Because of their knowledge and understanding of culture diversity they can continue to encourage you to believe that you are a good person and you can make it.

What is the greatest compliment a client has paid you?
“If I could pay you all the money in the world, I still could not pay you enough for helping me save my life”.

What inspires you to work with your clients?
My great grandmother always taught me this: whatever you want in life, you must first become it. Well, I needed love.  There were many areas of my life that hurt.  During that process I developed the capacity to love and express compassion. As I became lovable, I received loving compliments and words of gratitude from my hurting clients.  As a result of me loving beyond my pain, my client’s awareness was increased by realizing that they, too, can love and that healing begins by first learning to love oneself.

Why did you choose this industry?
People from various cultures, races and backgrounds have come into my life and helped me along the way.  Information is powerful and I was blessed by a previous employer to attend a motivational session featuring the great Zig Ziglar. I learned about the principles of “positive thinking”.  After applying the information to my own life and making better choices, my life begin to change.  One day I thought to myself, “the people I serve need this information but may never get to attend one of these sessions due to not being exposed to it or the inability to afford it.  I then made a commitment to provide this “positive thinking” approach when serving my own clients.

What are some of your favorite things to do in your personal time?
I enjoy writing, traveling, camping, cooking and dancing!

What is the best lesson you’ve learned about meeting client’s needs?
When working with clients, it is imperative that you have a good understanding of their needs in order to apply the right treatment strategies.   Client’s issues are constantly changing so keeping current on the latest research is essential to providing successful treatment.

How did you begin your company?
I begin providing “motivational sessions” in the homes of families I served and later integrated substance abuse education in those sessions.  I developed a format similar to the in- home Tupperware parties and the concept was very successful.  People thought I was smart but the truth is I just couldn’t afford an office.  Today it’s called intensive in-home counseling!