Jillian Balog, Psychotherapist in Private Practice on Influential Women

Influential Woman · Private practice licensed mental health counselor

Jillian Balog

Psychotherapist in Private Practice, Self-employed

FL

2Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Associate's degree from local community college Degree Bachelor's degree in Psychology from University of South Florida Degree Master's degree from Walden University (online coursework with in-person work) Cert Licensed Mental Health Counselor Cert Gottman Level 1 Certified

In Conversation

Jillian Balog for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.

Read the transcript Interview

Jillian Balog: Being an influential woman means being a leader. It means being inspiring, and also bold enough to take a stance and be your own boss sometimes.

What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?

Jillian Balog: One piece I would give to younger women, or young girls who are looking into chasing their dreams, I would say to never give up. It is extremely important to see the end goal and visualize yourself in the end goal, so that you can reach your, your dreams and goals and making sure that you take those steps in that direction.

Full transcript available

Her Story

About Jillian

When I decided to go into the mental health counseling field, I knew I wanted to help people and guide them towards self-empowerment, helping them work towards relieving their mental health symptoms and being that person that could help in those situations. What really stood out for me was that I eventually wanted to be in private practice, which is what I'm currently doing now. To do that, I had to get licensed to be independent and practice on my own. I just kind of envisioned what that would look like to motivate myself in going to get to the finish line - being my own boss and in private practice. I started out wanting to get a mix of seeing the worst cases in mental health, so to speak, and getting a lot of that experience to be able to better help different diagnoses or presentations that I could encounter. I've seen a wide variety - I've worked with combat veterans, community mental health, remotely, and my internship was in a residential facility with more severe mental health issues. I've always wanted to help people improve themselves, feel empowerment, and know they can make changes in their lives. You don't have to stay on the same path because of your upbringing or childhood trauma - you can always change and make different decisions. I believe I can help other people do that.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Jillian

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to myself, my heart, my hard work and dedication, and seeing that finish line - knowing what the finish line is if you keep going. I've always been really in tune with myself and what I want, kind of like a calling. I wanted a balance of financial security but also doing something I'm passionate about. I just kind of envisioned what it would look like to be in private practice and be my own boss, and that vision motivated me to get to the finish line.

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

The best career advice I've ever received is to follow your heart and not always the money. Even though it's hard because both are important when you think about living and surviving, it's not always about the money. You need to find that balance between financial security and doing something you're passionate about.

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