People are always going and changing and re-stabilizing around a new norm, an...
telehealth became the new norm, and I think everyone's always looking for convenience.
So now it's here to stay, I'm actually really glad that it was, because I do think more people are in therapy than ever because of that shift. Brandy Davis is a bold, compassionate therapist, entrepreneur, speaker in the founder of Backpocket Counseling Services. Through her work, she helps people build healthier relationships, strength and self-worth, and step into greater confidence in authenticity.
Along with the shame narrative that comes with going to therapy, I am really working in my practice to redefine what therapy means and to make it a really positive step forward for someone in their mental health and in their life, and really break this stigma that something must be wrong with you. Therapy at the end of the day is about a good match. That's when therapy really works. So I want to be able to offer clinicians that come from all different backgrounds,
have all different specialties to match you with somebody that's really good fit for you. The living your legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy. You can live your dreams. Hey, welcome back everyone to another episode of Living Your Legacy Podcast. I'm your host again, Jay Slang and I'm here at the Sunny Miami Beach Studios on a beautiful day and we have a nice woman here for Woman and Power and her nice sun shining outfit.
“I love it. But yeah, introduce yourself. Where are you from and what's your business?”
Yeah, thanks so much for having me. I'm Brandy Davis. I'm from Santa Barbara, California. Okay. I am the founder and clinical director of Backpocket Counseling Services. Okay. Backpocket counsel services, right? Backpocket counseling service, yeah. So what what what what it's out all about? Yeah, we are a group therapy practice offering telehealth therapy to clients all over California. Okay, okay. Specializing in how
where you need it when you need it. All right. So telehealth, right? I've never done it, right?
But I'm just guessing is it like zoom stuff or can you give me a kind of explanation to telehealth? Yeah, you got it right. You can join from anywhere that's comfortable for me. So for you. So what's so nice is that you don't have to get in the car. You don't have to drive anywhere. You don't have to go to an office. You can do it in your boxer shorts, sitting on the couch.
“Sure. That's what you like to do. Yeah. And you said a group telehealth, right?”
So is that like a group podcast or what's that like? No group practice meaning that we have several clinicians on our team, meaning that therapy at the end of the day is about a good match. That's when therapy really works. So we want to be able to offer clinicians that come from all different backgrounds of all different specialties to match you with somebody that's really good fit for you. Okay. So are all your therapists from kind of around the country or
their based in Santa Barbara? They are all over California. Okay. So we are licensed to practice only in California. Gotcha. Gotcha. And back pocket is because you can fit your phone. Your back pocket is that? Well, I just feel like eventually I want you to just have me with you in your back pocket. Have my voice have skills that you learned from the therapy room right there in your back pocket. Yeah. Yeah. So we've had a lot of therapists here and some of
“them deal with kind of like PTSD, complex PTSD. What are the specialties? What are your specialties?”
And also what are your group's specialties? Absolutely. So the running joke is that we specialize in doing you take my insurance, which we do, and which offers just more access, which is really great. Again, we try to keep a very diverse team. So we see anyone struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, co-occurring disorder, substance abuse, addiction, couples counseling, family counseling. Okay. A lot of college students would just like stressors or transitions.
Gotcha. So someone adds like, you know, seeking easy telehealth and then you'll match them up after I guess you do an initial consultation and then match them up with the best therapist or did they do a questionnaire and then from there, you already match them up? Yes, and yes, so they'll fill out their intake paperwork. They'll usually do a phone consultation with someone on the team and based on their presenting issues and maybe necessarily maybe personality styles
or something specific they're looking for and someone they'd think would be a good match. We then decide who will put them away from there. Gotcha. And are you still seeing patients? Are you kind of in the boss mode over seeing everything? Doing both. I feel like I have to.
It's always yes and yes. No matter what role I take on in the company,
I think the way that I be best at that work is to keep my boots on the ground and I'm always
Before we're facing in some capacity.
your skill, right? You always got to stay sharp. Yeah, and I can't, I don't know how to train
young clinicians to do what we're doing unless I stay fresh in the work. So I got to make sure I'm offering the best mentorship in any phase of the game so I can't get stale or mills or pass me and then I'm no good at anybody. Yeah. And so I guess today in today's day and age, right? You're probably
“dealing with a lot of AI as a competitor, right? And so like I guess when they did a study, right?”
The number one thing people are putting into these AI programs, right? Are there personal problems, right? Yeah. And so what do you feel like, you know, how do you feel about that first off, right? And do you get a sense that people have already put their problems into AI before coming to you guys? I think it's getting more and more common. That's for sure. Yeah. I think AI has its place.
I'm pretty scared of it to be quite honest in the mental health world. And this is
early that it's going to take over my job. I don't think that you can replace the human human connection. But what I think people aren't realizing in the mental health space is that AI is going to reflect back to you, whatever is going to validate, whatever you're putting out there. And that's a really scary truth when we're talking about severe mental illness and severe mental health distress. I think I could go south real fast. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And what about your clients? Do you feel like
they've been chatting to AI before coming to speak to you? And they're just like, well, AI said this, you know, or has that not really kind of entered the chat? I don't think that it competes with the conversation that we're having in the room yet. But I have heard the starting line. I asked AI. And this is what it told me. So it's interesting to explore a conversation, a feedback loop that's happening for a client that happened with AI instead of real human.
Yeah. So you might come in to session and tell me about the fight you had with your spouse and the thoughts you have about that. Now we're having a conversation about what the client thinks about what AI told them to do. So this is a really interesting shift that's happening.
“Yeah. Yeah. And that's why I'm asking, you know, it's just so interesting to see”
mental health where it's going, right? And people kind of are reverting to speaking with a machine, right, rather than that, you know, person to person, someone that's lived life, right? So it's just very interesting to ask all the kind of therapists that come on. So what kind of people will see you like, why would they come to see? I guess telehealth, right? Why would they seek telehealth, rather than, I guess, an inhuman, someone where they're in
their town or city? In person. Yeah. Well, I think you have better options than ever to find a therapist that is a true match for you because you don't have to find someone who's only in your neck the woods. You can find, I really do believe that the best work happens when you feel it's a very special relationship. It's a really intimate conversation we're talking about. You got to really trust the person in front of you to be a good guide, the kind of guide
“that's going to lead you where you want to go. So I think first and foremost, the fact that you”
can look pretty much anywhere for the right fit was just not available before. And I think for someone who, because so, like, yeah, in the past, right, if you had these problems, right, and you're in a small town and the therapist could be an hour away, but this not even the right therapists for their problems, right? Yeah. But you guys can actually say, hey, look, yet this one is specialized just for you. Right. Right. And that's no small statement. I think that's
yeah, no, that's huge. That's massive. I think with that too, we remove some barriers by being telehealth. I think time barriers, nobody has enough time. So just the amount of time to go from your office to the therapy room back to your office was already too much time. I saw many clients on their lunch break before work, right after work in transition. And I think people
are always trying to maximize how much they can do. Of course. And so people are more willing
to say yes to an appointment for themselves when it doesn't have to carve out. They don't have to carve out too much time from their day. And along with the shame narrative that comes with going to therapy, we're still really, I am really working in my practice to redefine what their be means and to make it a really positive step forward for someone in their mental health and in their life and and really break this stigma that something must be wrong with you. However,
it still really exists. So people are hesitant to let other people know they want a lot of privacy down therapy and the fact that they can just do it in their home gets more people in the seat. Yeah. And when you're doing these therapy sessions, right? Because these days you hop on a zoom
Then all of a sudden AI is popping up and taking AI notes and then it's being...
And that can be, you know, people might feel like, oh, is this being recorded? What is the policies around that? Well, we need permission from anyone before we do that. I will say that personally in our practice, we don't use any of those tools because I just feel like we don't have enough
information and confidentiality is the most important thing. Yeah. And I know many practices are
“using it, but bottom line at the end of the day, you should be asked for permission to use any of”
those anywhere you're seeking therapy, just know that nothing, none of that should be happening unless you ask for permission. Of course. Yeah. So yeah, what are you most excited about? I ask everyone, you know, what's on the horizon? I guess maybe what's on the forefront of your industry right now or what you got cooking, you know? Yeah. So back pocket counseling services are day-to-day bread and butter. Yeah. Again, helping people have access to therapy all over California.
I think everyone should go to therapy for a year in their life. And so we're going to keep doing that.
What I'm super excited about right now is a new project called Bounce Off with Brandy,
where I'm really trying to get contemporary and in the mix with how people are taking information in these days, which really is more out of the therapy room, social media, out in the world. And so Bounce Off with Brandy is meant to bring access to a high-leveled clinician, giving you tidbits and quick tips and quick conversations. So maybe just get you more aligned with where you say you want to go. And just be with the times in how people are taking things in. So that's
been working on now. And so you're jumping all in on the social media again. All the social media. All the social media. Yeah. So you got, you got a plan for that. You have
“any kind of, I don't know, I mean a plan of attack or anything with that. I think right now we're just”
doing a lot of speaking events and insights success as part of that. Yeah. Yeah. You can slice this up into many different ways, right? Many different ways. Yeah. Yeah. I think I'm just getting out of the therapy room and in front of people. That's the plan as much as I can right now sharing my message. There are so many little tidbits that are worth grabbing onto that more people could use. Yeah. And you can't wear this outfit, this fly outfit and be stuck in the zoom. I guess I'm the stage. You could. But
it doesn't happen. No, it doesn't happen. This is stage 2. Yes. Exactly. So you are, you are ready. I see that you're ready, right? Thanks. Yes. All right. And so how do people find you? Yeah. We are backpocket counseling.com, bounceoffwithbrandy.com. You can find us on social media at bounceoffwithbrandy at backpocket counseling. All right. But I mean honestly like what else what else is going on with in terms of how did you get to, you know, the normal counseling to having your online counseling,
right? Did you develop an app? There must have been some big leap where you were saying, hey, let's take this on the next level to the next level. You know, the leap was COVID. You know,
“before COVID, I think the therapy world was really blessed in the way that it opened up”
so much access and opportunity that we just did not have when you had to be in an office. You know, I can only see one person at a time. Yeah. In office, I couldn't share an office space with multiple clinicians. Yeah. I can't see anyone outside of my hometown. Yeah. And so at that time, we worked a therapist's work to really hard during COVID. We were working crazy hours. I'm sure for many people who are seeking support. And it just offered opportunity. I saw it there. I had a weightless
of the demand was there. And I thought, you know, I was really comfortable in business ownership at the time. This is my second company. And I felt like I could be the woman for the job. And so I was a Zoom Pivot Gone Right. I mean, COVID Pivot Gone Right. COVID Pivot Gone Right, both of those things. Yes. Absolutely. Honestly, because during that time, everyone was like freaking out, right? Everything was moving to Zoom. You would think everything was going to move to Skype.
And then Zoom came out of nowhere, right? Zoom boom. And then during COVID, yeah. They exactly had the Zoom boom, right? And you hopped on that train. Yeah. And it's been going ever since, right?
It's been going ever since. That's amazing. That's amazing. Because, and yeah, I mean, that transition
must have been like crazy, right? Because honestly, COVID, everything was moving online. Everyone was like, oh my god, how do I pivot, right? And so did you, you had a like a roster of your clients that you were seeing in person? And you just said, hey, we're going to continue this, right? To Zoom sessions, right? Which we didn't have a choice, right? When the whole world was. Correct. Correct. We're shutting
Down.
the in person kind of sessions that you had. And then when you moved them to the Zoom sessions.
Well, you know, I personally believe in having been online now for several years that if you're ready to do the work, you're going to do the work. It has nothing to do with whether I'm sitting in front of you in person or whether you're on screen. It's about your readiness to dive in. Yes.
“That is the biggest barrier to progress. I think people can now use it as another way to hide,”
right? They can say, I don't like the telehealth because I can't get as in my feels, if you will. I don't think so at all. I think it's just another way of hiding from yourself. But I think I don't think the transition would have happened. I think COVID again was a gift that way
because we had no other choice. And so then we all stabilize where everything, people are always
growing and changing and restabilizing around a new norm. And I think telehealth became the new norm. And I think everyone's always looking for convenience. So now it's here to stay. Would it be, would it have been the same if it wasn't our only choice? I don't think so. But I'm actually really glad that it was because I do think more people are in therapy than ever because of that shift. That's a big realization to come to. It's not about being in
person. It's about are you willing to do the work, right? 100%. Because I'm going to say the same things if you're sitting here on my couch in front of me or if you're on the Zoom, I'm going to learn about you. We're going to dive deep into what the problems are, right? And your past traumas and but it takes work so you get to the other end of all that, right? 100%. And the work is the same. It's just that, you know, what the difference is is I guess the couch, right? It's at the
“couch in my office or you know, your couch at home, right? Well and I think a good therapist”
is going to feel that energy is going to read the expressions on your face, is going to pull things out of you on screen or in person. God, sir. Well, it's been a pleasure to have you in the studios. How long are you going to stay in South Beach for? Just here until Friday. So it's a couple more days. Okay. Yeah. That's a little time. Are you here for the mastermind as well? I am. All right. Yeah. Okay. So how's it been so far? So far has been so great or just preparing for today,
mounting poolside just enjoying the heat. Okay. Okay. Perfect. Perfect. Well, it seems like you've mastered the heat already because the hair and the humidity is different than California, right? So a lot of people come down. Here's his master class tip for all of you. When you come down, don't shampoo your hair at the day of and because you're going to get the shampoo, puffiness with the humidity puffiness. Some people come in with that double puff and they're like,
I don't know what happened. I don't know what happened. Yeah. Yeah. It's true. It's real. Well, no, we went. We were told, go from the hotel into the car into the studio, try not to be
outside for more than a second. Correct. Correct. So I think don't think there's two blocks away
that you're going to walk it. No, get hopping that over, right? Yeah. Exactly. All right. Well, yeah. Enjoy the rest of your time here in Miami and South Beach. Enjoy the mastermind. I think we got some mixers coming up soon tonight and I think every night, right? But yeah, it's exciting time. So well, thank you for joining us. Thank you for having me. All right. And thank you,
“you guys for joining us. Also, yeah, if you want to dive deep into her hotel health business,”
how she got there, you know, into some of her childhood stuff as well and how she grew her business. Well, then you're going to have to tune into her episode when it is. But thank you, guys for joining us. See you next time. Cheers everyone.
