Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Vo Sotomayor
Hi Donna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My parents are both immigrants from Vietnam and met here in Orlando, They divorced when I was in elementary school. There were a lot of moving parts living with a single mom, splitting time with both parents, and moving around. Naturally, that was a lot for me and I struggled with my mental health. In the Asian community, it isn’t something that most families are educated on, let alone discussed. I knew I had strong feelings, but I didn’t know what to do with them.
Fast forward to high school, I was introduced to Psychology through an elective class. It sparked an interest in learning more about human behavior and pursuing a career in a helping profession. I started off as wanting to be a Neuropsychologist but quickly realized that I was too bad at math and science to chase that dream. However, I still knew that I wanted to do something in the mental health field, I just wasn’t too sure what exactly. All I knew was that I wanted to help others and that I needed more than a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology to do that.
After earning my Bachelor’s at Valencia, I took a gap year to give myself a break from school. I knew that grad school was the next step, but again, I wasn’t sure what program to pursue. I looked at Clinical and Counseling Psychology programs, but the curriculum just didn’t speak to me. I was talking about that to a friend and she introduced me to a Counselor Education program and it clicked. I began looking into UF’s program because I wanted to stay in state, but be a little farther from home. They offered three tracks: School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, and Marriage and Family Counseling. I honestly didn’t really know what to pick at first and weighed out my options. I thought that the Marriage and Family Counseling track spoke closest to home and went with that. I applied towards the end of COVID. It was the only program I applied to. I thought I totally bombed my interview. I was so anxious and the words coming out of my mouth made absolutely no sense to me. Thankfully, I was accepted and I graduated the 2.5 year program in December of 2023.
After graduation, I still had to stay in Gainesville for a few more months until my lease ended. During that time, I applied to sooo many jobs and did countless interviews. None of which paid a livable or acceptable wage for someone with a Master’s degree. I had a couple people rescind their offers when I advocated for higher pay. I was left with one choice by the time I had to move back to Orlando and convinced myself it was the best option. It was a 1099 position where I would only get paid for actual hours worked, or per session. The pay was $40 per session for 14 or less clients a week and $50-60 per session for 15 or more clients a week. I knew I was settling and I still gave that position a shot. That lasted for a few months until I decided that no one was going to give me the opportunity that I wanted, so I created it for myself. That is how Wallflower Counseling came to be.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
All of this was only possible because I have the support of my husband, financially and emotionally. I am not the “breadwinner” of the family and he has supported us from the time I was in grad school. So without him, this wouldn’t have been possible for me personally.
I learned very early on in my career that private practice for therapists was the only way to make a living in the field. I knew that it was something that I wanted to do. I just didn’t plan for it to be so soon and happen this way. It wasn’t an easy decision to leave that job and start my own business, but it was very much necessary for me to do so.
I had some of my own money saved up and was ready to use that to get a headstart in Wallflower Counseling. I began making some investments for the business, such as branding and marketing. I got very fortunate in that we had a table set for sale, which was almost the exact amount that I had spent for my branding. Then, I sold my old car, which gave me more of a financial cushion and security in launching my business.
Even though I did not build a large caseload at the previous job, I was able to transition a handful of clients over to my own practice. That gave me another safety net. I was also fortunate to have been able to join directories such as Open Path and Psychology Today and generate some referrals from there. I am still actively working on growing my caseload as most of my clients are biweekly, meaning I need to increase my weekly number of clients.
I think a lot of things have lined up for me so far, and I am so grateful for that.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Wallflower Counseling™️?
Wallflower Counseling™️ is a private therapy practice located in Casselberry, Florida. It is owned and operated by me. I am a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern (meaning I completed grad school and am working under the supervision of a licensed professional. In other words, I am an associate level provider).
I offer individual and couples therapy for Gen Z and Millennials. Some of my focus areas are relationship concerns, infidelity, divorce, communication, life transitions, low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. It is my goal to support the Orlando community by providing quality and accessible mental health care. I provide services in person and virtually throughout Florida.
It is my goal to approach therapy as a human first. I aim to be authentic in the space and make clients feel comfortable to do the same. As a RMFTI, I approach therapy with a systemic lens, meaning I look at you and your whole picture. I look at how your symptoms are affecting you in areas of your life and in your relationships, rather than taking an individual approach and focusing solely on your diagnosis. Therapy with me is collaborative. I try to make it fun and relatable as much as I can.
Brand wise, I am proud to be able to offer quality and accessible therapy for my community and teach others how to build healthier relationships. You can expect a quick turnaround time with me. I am responsive and the onboarding process is quick and easy.
I am currently offering immediate availability. I am available Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays. I do not accept insurance. My rate is $150. I offer sliding scale and limited low rate sessions for those who are unable to pay the full rate.
How do you define success?
Success is a feeling. To me, that feels like empowerment right now. I took a leap of faith in starting Wallflower Counseling and it has empowered me so much. I feel capable, hopeful, excited, nervous, anxious, and all the things. I do it because I want to create a better future for me and my family. That is what success is for me. The ability to do better and be better.
Pricing:
- $150
- Sliding scale available
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wallflower-counseling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donna.mft/
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/donna-vo-sotomayor-casselberry-fl/1297899
