Tessa Martin was working as a psychologist in a clinic, while also operating her own private practice in 2008, when she noticed something that led to a great idea. “I was doing my own services in the clinic and there were other therapists there but nobody was working together,” says Tessa. “I wanted people to feel it was a team based atmosphere. Sometimes you’re dealing with some pretty tough stuff and you don’t want to be dealing with it by yourself.” It inspired her to expand her practice. Serenity Now Wellness Centre opened in 2010, with four other psychologists, besides Tessa, specializing in several areas, including addiction, child issues, depression-anxiety, post-traumatic stress and marriage counselling.
An interest in the mind/body connection and how holistic medicine can be useful in mental health treatment also inspired Tessa. Serenity Now Wellness Centre has yoga therapy on site but will recommend other holistic treatments, like acupuncture, naturopathy and reflexology when needed. It was part of the vision Tessa had for her business, although changing from her own practice to managing others provided challenges. “I had an idea of what I wanted but it’s one of those things that, had I known how hard it was going to be, I might have scared myself out of it,” says Tessa. “In terms of the vision itself, I love what Serenity Now is accomplishing right now.”
