We were lucky to catch up with Ariel Green recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ariel, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
I believe my generosity comes from my family. I was blessed to grow up with two parents, a brother, a sister, and all four of my grandparents. If anyone needed help, whether it be time, money, or anything else, they could find help with no strings attached. My grandparents almost make it seem like an honor to help their grandchildren, and they’ve passed that onto all of us. When I think about my mother, I specifically think about how generous she is with her time. She was the mom that would give anyone a ride home any day after school. As a true carpool queen, she would have snacks or drive everyone through McDonald’s as well. My friends still talk about how she would stock the house with their favorite snacks and drinks so they’d be comfortable when they came over. To this day, she still drives others to their appointments, donates our old clothes directly to families in need, serves at church, and so much more. She’s one of those people who’s always willing to help, even when she doesn’t have much to give. There were times when we struggled financially, but she never stopped giving her time. She is probably my greatest example of generosity personified and I think that’s why I like to give to others. I try to live out my generosity by providing sliding-scale prices for my therapy clients, and I have plans to create affordable resources for therapists and yoga teachers to remove the financial barriers in this field.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I started my professional career as a music teacher/choir director. Every year since I was a freshman in college, I went to our state music educator’s convention and attended the college fair. Every year, I stopped and received information about a dual master’s program in music therapy and counseling. Every year, I talked myself out of doing the program. When teaching got the best of me, I finally decided to apply. Ten years after I first inquired about the program, I finally decided to go for it. I left teaching in 2019 and began grad school. Because I did not have a bachelor’s degree in music therapy, I had to earn an undergraduate equivalency in music therapy along with my dual masters. With the pandemic beginning a semester after I started, graduate school was definitely a whirlwind. I must say that on the other side of it, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to change careers.
In 2023, I obtained my Licensed Professional Counselor Associate license in Texas, currently under the supervision of Leigh Rainwater, LPC-S. I also received my Music Therapist-Board Certified certification from the Certification Board for Music Therapists. In December 2023, I soft-launched my private practice, Peace Place Therapy providing virtual counseling, and music therapy to Texas residents. I believe that a huge part of my purpose in this world is to help others find their peace. This purpose inspired my business name and my work with clients.
To go back to my final months as a teacher, I decided to attend a 200-hour yoga teacher training. I took this training with the intent of using it to help my students and fellow teachers cope with the daily struggles of public education and as a possible side hustle. I taught corporate and private during grad school. I also took another yoga teacher training during the pandemic and am now a 500-hour RYT. Now that I am a therapist, I use therapeutic yoga in my work with clients.
I have a few new things I am working on with tentative launch dates in the second quarter of 2024. I am currently redesigning arielsimone.com to offer affordable resources for new therapists like me. As I started the journey to become a therapist and business owner, I quickly became aware of the financial barriers to a successful start in the industry. I want to help remove some of those barriers by consolidating the information I’ve learned and paid for into affordable resources for others. I plan to offer organization templates, log trackers, digital planners, therapy worksheets, meditation scripts, song databases, and more. I am also working on a YouTube channel to help other associates looking to start their private practice, along with a channel for restorative and therapeutic yoga practices.
It took ten years for me to step into a career that aligned with me and my purpose. I don’t regret the time, but I hope others won’t let the same doubt hold them back.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities or tools that impacted my journey were grace, confidence, and support. I had to learn how to show myself grace. As a recovering perfectionist, it’s hard to put things out there when it’s not exactly right. But when you’re starting something new, you’re doing something you’ve never done before. You can’t expect everything to be exactly right on your day 1. That leads to confidence, and not the general use of the word. The “do it afraid” type of confidence. Take the class, apply for the job, post the Reel – do something to move you forward even if you’re afraid. The confidence will come with time, practice, and experience. Support is probably my biggest asset. I think it’s particularly to have support from someone who is in a similar position you’re in. I bounce ideas off of many people in my life. It helps me feel less alone in this journey. It’s also nice to celebrate the big moments with others, especially those who saw you at the start.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
In my therapy practice, I have a few client types that I am particularly drawn to. I love to help young adults work through one of the biggest transitions we have in life. I help them deal with the anxieties that come with change and making decisions, as well as helping them find who they want to be as an adult. I also help women across the lifespan tackle transitions, family stress, relationship issues, and general mental health issues. With both clients, I also strive to help those overwhelmed by their emotions take control of their lives, and conversely, I strive to help clients who avoid their feelings actually feel them. As a music therapist, I enjoy working in dementia care, hospice, and chronic illness.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.peaceplacetherapy.com
- Instagram: @thearielsimone
- Other: www.arielsimone.com
Image Credits
Stephen Chase Green Lauren Bethany
