Influential Woman · Counselor

Janice Bush

Office Manager, Millwork Custom Doors

Bloomington, IL

13Years experience

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice Degree Master's degree in Counselor Education Cert LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) Cert NCHC Mental Health Certification

Her Story

About Janice

My journey into counseling wasn't a straight path. I started as a criminal justice major and worked in several prisons, where I witnessed the aftermath of choices that could have been prevented with early intervention and support. That experience planted a seed in me. After leaving IDLC, I moved into substitute teaching, working with students from kindergarten all the way up to high school. It was in middle school where I really saw the critical need for mentoring and counseling youth. In 2020, something remarkable happened. I didn't apply for the position, but I received a call about being a mental health specialist at Macon County Jail. I was comfortable where I was, but when the lady called back asking for my decision, I intended to say no, but yes came out of my mouth. I knew it wasn't about me. At the jail, I made it my mission to reach people, especially Black men, reminding them they are descendants of kings and queens and need to hold their heads up no matter their circumstances. I worked there for almost six years, helping inmates see their inner dreams weren't lost and that they could make changes for their present and future. After retiring due to the long commute, I continue doing counseling from home because I honestly feel that's what I was meant to do.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Janice

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to God, Jehovah, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. And my dad. My dad was a person who only had a 3rd grade education. He was from Mississippi. But he told all of us, all of his kids, that you guys are gonna get an education, you guys are gonna go to college. He said, all of my kids are gonna go to college. Somehow, somewhere. Because he was so staunch about that, we did go. So it was God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, and my father. My mother, too. She was there with them. That's what got me going.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I've ever received is that you're not doing it for yourself, you're doing it for others, especially with the career job I'm in. Working as a correctional officer, I wasn't doing it for myself, I was doing it for them, even though I was getting a good pay. But as you work with them, you know that you touched someone's life. Another thing they told me, too, was that change is good, because change is inevitable. We're all gonna change. So don't fight it, work with it.

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