Chamber Insider Blog

Thank you to Dr. Suzanne Nixon, Integrative Counseling & Relationship Therapy, Inc. for sharing your story with us. Congratulations on being a finalist for the 30th Annual Loudoun Small Business Awards! View all finalists here and event info here.

Tell Us the story of your business and how it evolved.

Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, I witnessed the freedom, the responsibilities and the rewards of owning one’s business.

This inspired me to launch my first business at the age of 28 as a massage and bodywork therapist in private practice. With a Master’s in Education and a specialty in the mind-body connection, I received referrals from psychiatrists, physicians and therapists whose patients had a history of sexual abuse, were “disconnected” from their bodies and felt “touch therapy” would be therapeutically beneficial.  This groundbreaking clinical work and cutting-edge partnership between medical physicians, psychologists and me, a bodywork therapist, resulted in positive therapeutic gains for the patients/clients.

The power of a mind-body approach to help people heal from psychological, physical and sexual abuse, inspired me to pursue doctoral studies in counseling and research in touch therapy at Virginia Tech  After graduation and the passing of my licensing exams, I reconfigured my business and began practicing counseling, marriage & family therapist and leading seminars in mind-body therapy.

As I reflect back on my forty-plus years as a clinician and business owner, I am very grateful I found my calling, and my heart’s work at an early age, and had the courage and confidence to become a business owner.

What are you most proud of about your team?

My team is comprised of independent contractors, who specialize in administrative skills, graphic design, marketing and promotion, business practices and strategies and web design. All are dedicated professionals, who understand the intimate nature of a counseling practice, the importance of designing media content and communication that is connecting, inviting and welcoming, and delivering the message with wisdom, compassion and professionalism. All of my independent contractors are in Loudoun County, except my Web Master, my son, who is located in Richmond. I am grateful for their ability to understand my business, the people we serve, their expert work, dedication and loyalty.

What would it mean to you and your business to win a Small Business Award?

Running a business is not just about being successful, it is about being significant.

For me, winning this award would mean I have been influential in bettering the health and wellness of people’s lives. It would honor my company’s, unique platform of mental health & wellness services, educational programs, and Loudoun – based podcasts.  I believe it would promote more community engagement and conversations about mental health and wellness, a foster a message of acceptance, resilience, and belonging.  As I turn 70 years old next month, and mark 30 years of being in business as a behavioral health provider, it would be an honor to have this award a part of my legacy here in Loudoun County.

In what ways do you give back to the community?

In addition to my day-to-day role as a licensed counselor, I serve the greater community in 3 main ways: Past Board Member, Ryan Bartel Foundation for 4 years; Currently and for the past 3 years, Advisory Board Member, of Imagine Well-being.

Volunteered my time as a Professional Presenter, Speaker, and Moderator for non-profits, community organizations, and business chambers on the topics in the field of mental health, teen health, parenting, wellness, and meditation. A sample includes: Loudoun Chamber of Commerce (several times), Dulles Chamber of Commerce (several times), Ryan Bartel Foundation (many times); Imagine Wellbeing Nonprofit (many times); Loudoun County Public Schools (many times); Girl emPower Summit, Loudoun Coalition on Women & Girls (once); Virginia Women’s Business Conference (3 times)

Founded, created and hosted Quiet Waters Podcast, a mental health & wellness podcast, during the pandemic to support Loudoun County residents with expert information on mental health/wellness; stories from everyday Loudoun residents on achieving health; mental health tips; meditations to nourish health, etc. Funded by a grant from Loudoun Economic Development, episodes were uploaded twice a month for over 2 years. It is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc., and plans to bring more episodes to the podcast are in the works. Although the focus was our Loudoun County community, the 5,000+ downloads tracked by Buzzsprout, spanned the entire United States and nearly 15 countries.

What is your favorite thing about running a business in Loudoun County?

Loudoun County as a whole, is very welcoming and inclusive to all businesses and business owners. The Chamber of Commerce, in particular, makes a deliberate effort to connect with new business owners and works to maintain established business relationships. These “welcoming foundations and actions”,  create a community of belonging, and for me, it is not only supportive, it fuels me with conviction and inspiration to continue “doing good work” and innovate additional programs to serve the needs of the community.

What did you want to be when you grew up as a child?

I love this question!, and for you to know: Research that came out of Canada about two decades ago, showed that what your interests were as a child, were a dominant factor in what you chose as a vocation. In my early years, I loved playing “school”. I was the teacher and my class was comprised of a miniature German doll school set, gifted to me by my grandmother. All of my university degrees are in education/counseling and I love my role as an educator as much as a counselor.

If you are not in the office, where can we find you/what other passions do you have?

Being in nature, being active, traveling, meditating. I love walking and hiking on paths, in parks, on hiking trails locally, across the United States and overseas. My most memorable hikes were in New Zealand and included the world-renowned, Milford Trek, located amidst the mountains and rainforest in the Fiordland National Park.

Who is the one person that has influenced you the most in your career?

The chair of my doctoral committee, Dr. Sandra Stith, who at the time was the Chair of the Family Services Department at Virginia Tech, the Falls Church satellite location. She believed in me and went out on a limb in support of my doctoral research and dissertation, which was creative and a bit “out of the box.” “The Use of Counselor’s Touch with Women Who Had Been Incested as a Child as Compared to Women Who Had Not”.  Her guidance and support contributed to my research’s significant findings (more unusual with doctoral research). In 1994, I was a Finalist in Common Boundary’s National Dissertation Awards, placing third. I gained confidence, conviction, and inspiration to move forward in the field of counseling.

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5 years?

I will continue in my role as a psychotherapist and expand my educational programs, services, and speaking engagements.

My intention is to reach and impact more people in attaining and maintaining “Good Health’, in the four pillars of wellness: Mind, Body, Spirit, and in all Relationships.  I believe educational pathways are a powerful platform for helping people achieve better health, build resiliency, restore hope and connect people within their homes and community. I will utilize my expert skill sets as a teacher and speaker, and hope to partner with more educators and leaders in our community.