February 27, 2025 • 11 mins
Bianca LaRue takes us through her personal and professional journey, highlighting the importance of mental health and how her life experiences fueled her desire to help others. She talks about the services offered at Nora Mental Health and the challenges of starting a new franchise.
• Bianca's background and story in mental health
• A look at different therapy approaches: EMDR, play therapy, DBT
• Challenges and rewards of opening a mental health franchise
• The importance of community connections and networking
If you're interested in learning more about Nora Mental Health, visit www.noramentalhealth.com/fort-worth-texas
Bianca LaRue
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Storie (00:15):
Welcome back to Market it with Atma, where we share the
tips, tools and strategies tohelp your business be successful
.
Today we have on the showspecial guest Ms Bianca LaRue.
She is the franchise owner ofNora Mental Health in Fort Worth
.
Welcome, bianca, thank you,story.
Thank you for having me.
I'm so glad you're here.
I didn't even know you wereclose to us.
(00:37):
I know I know.
Good to have you on the show.
Can you tell our listeners alittle bit about your journey?
Can you tell our listeners alittle bit about your journey,
how you got into this industryand what all you do here at Nora
Mental Health?
Bianca (00:50):
Yes, so I was born and raised in South Africa.
Actually, and coming from SouthAfrica, mental health was a big
taboo subject and really nottalked about and when I was
growing up, I always felt likesomething was wrong with me and
I really yeah, I really wasn'tallowed to get the help that I
needed and deserved at thatpoint.
(01:11):
And I came to America and I wasshocked how people were talking
more about mental health, butthat there's still a big flaw in
the system and.
I wanted to make that change.
If I could just help one personwho don't feel so alone in
their struggles.
And that is how I found Nora.
I love Nora's vision and wejust opened on February 21st and
(01:37):
, yes, we have two therapists.
We just hired two more.
We're really excited to havethem with us and we have they're
all um professionals and weoffer emdr, play therapy, dbt,
cbt, trauma focus, cbt.
Um.
We really are trying to, youknow, have as much modalities as
(01:57):
we can to help everybody thatis wonderful.
Storie (02:00):
So you and your husband started the business yes
franchise at this location yes,matt, matt, who's the co-owner?
Bianca (02:04):
my husband, me and your husband started the business yes
franchise at this location.
Yes, matt, matt, who's theco-owner?
My husband, me and him own theFort Worth location that is so
exciting.
Storie (02:12):
So can you tell me what was the transition like coming
from South Africa to America?
How old were you were young.
Bianca (02:20):
We were a little older, I was 18 years old.
Oh wow, I came pretty muchright out of out of high school
by myself, with you know, no, nofamily, no support system, no
backup oh my gosh, um, it'sreally scary, I bet, but that's
kind of how I really wanted tohave a mental health company one
day, because I've I've learnedso much by myself by myself,
(02:40):
when I came to America yeah, so,um, about your services.
Storie (02:44):
I know you gave me a lot of acronyms and I know some of
them cause I've I've experiencedsome.
But can you tell me which typeof therapy really resonates with
you?
Or you've seen a lot of resultfrom.
Bianca (02:57):
So all of those modalities I mentioned, I really
I really um, like and as good,but something that really
resonates with me is EMDR andwhat is EMDR like an umbrella
view of it?
Storie (03:10):
Is it more for like children?
Is it for adults?
Is it for like veterans?
I know they have specifics.
Bianca (03:18):
Yeah.
So I know it's younger peoplecan do it, but also a lot of
veterans and adults and it's Iwould say it's more geared
towards people with trauma and.
Ptsd, trying to work throughthose, those heart trauma.
And like a safe place.
Storie (03:35):
Exactly, that's awesome.
Yes, and you also.
What resonates with me I'm justgoing to share as the play
therapy.
Can you tell me more about that?
What age ranges, how you guyskind of do play therapy.
Can you tell me more about that?
What age ranges, how you guyskind of do play therapy and what
it is.
Bianca (03:47):
So our clinical director her name is Rachel and she's
amazing and she does playtherapy.
Okay, we have a whole playtherapy room in one of our
offices and it's perfectly setup and she starts seeing clients
six years and up.
Storie (04:02):
Oh, wow.
Bianca (04:03):
Yes, and then basically just go through like talking
with the kids and they play withlike toys and stuff like that.
Expressing emotions.
Storie (04:14):
Like fun for them.
Exactly, I don't even know it'sa therapy, no, so it's not as
intimidating, I'm assuming.
Bianca (04:19):
Exactly, it's a really like, like, looks like a play
therapy.
That would have been great forme when I was younger.
Storie (04:28):
I wish I had that around they probably did, I just
didn't know about it.
So, starting a business,especially in healthcare, what
are some of the great aspects ofit and what are some of the
challenges you've faced, kind ofwalking through that journey?
Bianca (04:40):
Yes, so taken about a year for us to open and I would
say, you know, challenges comeswith insurance waiting to be
credentialed.
So that's been a long journeyand we're so excited that we're
open now and in network withmost most major insurance
companies.
Um, I would say the positivesis helping people now, you know,
(05:03):
and, um, helping everybody inour community.
Storie (05:05):
I would say some negative can be that people
don't know that we're open,right, You're so close, I know
Well, you did just open, sohopefully we can help you with
that.
So what are some of the wins?
I'm assuming congratulations onthe opening and you said it was
over a year you've been tryingto get this facility open.
Bianca (05:27):
Yes.
Storie (05:28):
And it took so long just kind of working through those
processes.
So we work off of a build,launch, grow scale methodology
with Heaven Trinity.
What point in that processwould you think you guys are?
Bianca (05:38):
I would say we're in the launch, the launch phase.
Yeah, really trying to get ourname out there.
Storie (05:43):
With the launch phase?
What are you utilizingNetworking events?
Are you using social media?
What's helped you so far andwhat you think will be
beneficial in getting your brandout there?
Bianca (05:54):
So I would say I've networked I'm you know I'm a
networking a ton right now andbuilding partnerships with
different clinics and hospitals.
Storie (06:05):
Oh, wow.
So you're going out and meetingthese clinics and hospitals and
just letting them know you'rehere.
Bianca (06:10):
Yes, yes, and let them come see our facility as well
and just see how we can, youknow, work together.
That's awesome.
If our clients need a higherlevel of care, we can send them
to where they are and vice versa, if they need to step down.
Storie (06:22):
Yeah, so like a mutually beneficial partnership.
Bianca (06:24):
Exactly yeah.
Storie (06:25):
That's awesome.
So what are your goals withinthe next six months year?
Three years for Nora.
Bianca (06:33):
I have a big vision and I think the goal would be to
have at least, you know, eightto 10 therapists at Nora Mental
Health, fort Worth and just helpso many people we can in the
community.
That is my, that is why we haveNora, so I want to help as many
people as I can.
That's the.
That's the biggest goal, andMatt and I would love to have
(06:56):
more locations would be thefuture.
Storie (06:59):
Awesome to really help.
I mean, mental health is, Ithink it's more apparent now for
sure than it used to be.
Well, I hope so anyway.
I know in the schools I havechildren in, you know, mid-teens
, so they're always goingthrough it.
But it's different now.
Bianca (07:15):
It is different.
Storie (07:17):
The stressors we had when we were younger are very
different.
With the digital aspect of it,since you're in the launch phase
right now, um, what um type ofnetworking groups are you a part
of?
What cities and locations areyou wanting to network with?
Bianca (07:32):
so we are a part of fort worth chamber of commerce as
well as benbrook chamber, Jam ofCommerce.
We partnered we just partneredwith Pathlight, Mood and Anxiety
in Fort Worth, as well as MesaSprings and Innovations, which
is their outpatient treatmentand I think that one's a little
more.
Storie (07:52):
You're closer than Mesa Springs would be right.
We're pretty close either way,but also we've partnered with
with other places with otherplaces as well, and you're
enjoying that partnership so farI am, I am, we also are a part
of the mental health connectionsoh, okay group that we we go to
(08:12):
, and we have different eventsthere as well so you guys um
have therapists that are um doin-person therapy and do you do?
Bianca (08:18):
virtual therapy yes, so our therapists do in-person and
virtual that which is great, sowe can reach everybody in tex.
Storie (08:25):
Yeah, Cause I know like sometimes when I got off work I
didn't want to get back intraffic and drive to my
therapist office, even though Iloved her Um, so it's easily
accessible for the kids and theadults.
Exactly, yeah, and that'sawesome.
Well, I'm really excited to comesee you guys, because I'm just
curious at this point that thereit's great that there's so many
more health, mental health,wellness facilities like yours
(08:51):
to really help people that havegone through this struggle.
So thank you for that.
But what would you say is onebit of advice you wish you had
known prior to starting yourfranchise.
Starting your franchise?
Bianca (09:03):
Advice I wish I would have known is when I was going
through my you know, I Istruggled a lot growing up and I
went through really darkperiods of times and I felt
really alone and I felt, likeyou know, like you always ask
the question why, why is thishappening, why, why am I like
this way?
And I wish somebody told me,bianca, like there's a reason
(09:28):
for this, because one day you'regoing to be able to help other
people and give them hope andyou're going to say you know,
there's people out there,professionals that you know,
that try to help them, butthey've never really struggled
with similar issues.
Storie (09:41):
So it's kind of hard to relate, absolutely.
Bianca (09:44):
I feel like if somebody could say say Bianca, one day
you can help people because youyou've walked the walk you know
and um, I think that would havehelped me so much.
Storie (09:52):
I agree.
I think, just hearing fromsomeone else that they've walked
through it too and being ableto feel that is important.
It would make me trust people alot more.
Bianca (10:02):
I agree, that's.
That's how I feel too, and justbeing a survival guide for
somebody else.
And that gives me a big purposefor my life, yeah.
Storie (10:11):
Man Well, I can't wait to have you on the show in eight
months to see how, how you guyshave grown.
Um, if anyone wants to learnmore about what you guys do, or
or learn more about yourservices, how can they reach you
?
Bianca (10:22):
So we have a LinkedIn page Nora Mental Health, fort
Worth Awesome.
We also have a website.
If you just say Nora MentalHealth and you can go to
locations and click on FortWorth and you can see who our
team is as well.
And you can always reach me onmy email.
Okay, be LaRue at.
Storie (10:40):
NoraMentalHealthcom.
Do you have a mentor?
That's kind of walked youthrough it?
Who do you look up to andreceive guidance from?
That's helped you kind of bewhere you are today.
Bianca (10:49):
Yes, so my dad definitely my number one person
I look up to he's no longer withus but, it's okay, but he is
amazing.
It was an amazing leader left,came from nothing, pulled
something amazing a big legacyin South Africa and my brother,
who is still back home in SouthAfrica.
(11:10):
I look up to him.
He always thinks of new ideasto be better and do better, and
he's just someone I rely onright now to be better be a
better leader in the community.
Storie (11:21):
That's amazing that you do have that support, Near or
far it's still there.
Yes, so that's wonderful.
It's great to have.
Well, thank you, bianca, and toall of our listeners out there,
please get in contact withBianca, even if you're just
curious about what the servicesare, reach out, it'll help.
We'll see you next time onMarket it With Atma you.
Welcome back to Market it with Atma, where we share the
tips, tools and strategies tohelp your business be successful
.
Today we have on the showspecial guest Ms Bianca LaRue.
She is the franchise owner ofNora Mental Health in Fort Worth
.
Welcome, bianca, thank you,story.
Thank you for having me.
I'm so glad you're here.
I didn't even know you wereclose to us.
(00:37):
I know I know.
Good to have you on the show.
Can you tell our listeners alittle bit about your journey?
Can you tell our listeners alittle bit about your journey,
how you got into this industryand what all you do here at Nora
Mental Health?
Bianca (00:50):
Yes, so I was born and raised in South Africa.
Actually, and coming from SouthAfrica, mental health was a big
taboo subject and really nottalked about and when I was
growing up, I always felt likesomething was wrong with me and
I really yeah, I really wasn'tallowed to get the help that I
needed and deserved at thatpoint.
(01:11):
And I came to America and I wasshocked how people were talking
more about mental health, butthat there's still a big flaw in
the system and.
I wanted to make that change.
If I could just help one personwho don't feel so alone in
their struggles.
And that is how I found Nora.
I love Nora's vision and wejust opened on February 21st and
(01:37):
, yes, we have two therapists.
We just hired two more.
We're really excited to havethem with us and we have they're
all um professionals and weoffer emdr, play therapy, dbt,
cbt, trauma focus, cbt.
Um.
We really are trying to, youknow, have as much modalities as
(01:57):
we can to help everybody thatis wonderful.
Storie (02:00):
So you and your husband started the business yes
franchise at this location yes,matt, matt, who's the co-owner?
Bianca (02:04):
my husband, me and your husband started the business yes
franchise at this location.
Yes, matt, matt, who's theco-owner?
My husband, me and him own theFort Worth location that is so
exciting.
Storie (02:12):
So can you tell me what was the transition like coming
from South Africa to America?
How old were you were young.
Bianca (02:20):
We were a little older, I was 18 years old.
Oh wow, I came pretty muchright out of out of high school
by myself, with you know, no, nofamily, no support system, no
backup oh my gosh, um, it'sreally scary, I bet, but that's
kind of how I really wanted tohave a mental health company one
day, because I've I've learnedso much by myself by myself,
(02:40):
when I came to America yeah, so,um, about your services.
Storie (02:44):
I know you gave me a lot of acronyms and I know some of
them cause I've I've experiencedsome.
But can you tell me which typeof therapy really resonates with
you?
Or you've seen a lot of resultfrom.
Bianca (02:57):
So all of those modalities I mentioned, I really
I really um, like and as good,but something that really
resonates with me is EMDR andwhat is EMDR like an umbrella
view of it?
Storie (03:10):
Is it more for like children?
Is it for adults?
Is it for like veterans?
I know they have specifics.
Bianca (03:18):
Yeah.
So I know it's younger peoplecan do it, but also a lot of
veterans and adults and it's Iwould say it's more geared
towards people with trauma and.
Ptsd, trying to work throughthose, those heart trauma.
And like a safe place.
Storie (03:35):
Exactly, that's awesome.
Yes, and you also.
What resonates with me I'm justgoing to share as the play
therapy.
Can you tell me more about that?
What age ranges, how you guyskind of do play therapy.
Can you tell me more about that?
What age ranges, how you guyskind of do play therapy and what
it is.
Bianca (03:47):
So our clinical director her name is Rachel and she's
amazing and she does playtherapy.
Okay, we have a whole playtherapy room in one of our
offices and it's perfectly setup and she starts seeing clients
six years and up.
Storie (04:02):
Oh, wow.
Bianca (04:03):
Yes, and then basically just go through like talking
with the kids and they play withlike toys and stuff like that.
Expressing emotions.
Storie (04:14):
Like fun for them.
Exactly, I don't even know it'sa therapy, no, so it's not as
intimidating, I'm assuming.
Bianca (04:19):
Exactly, it's a really like, like, looks like a play
therapy.
That would have been great forme when I was younger.
Storie (04:28):
I wish I had that around they probably did, I just
didn't know about it.
So, starting a business,especially in healthcare, what
are some of the great aspects ofit and what are some of the
challenges you've faced, kind ofwalking through that journey?
Bianca (04:40):
Yes, so taken about a year for us to open and I would
say, you know, challenges comeswith insurance waiting to be
credentialed.
So that's been a long journeyand we're so excited that we're
open now and in network withmost most major insurance
companies.
Um, I would say the positivesis helping people now, you know,
(05:03):
and, um, helping everybody inour community.
Storie (05:05):
I would say some negative can be that people
don't know that we're open,right, You're so close, I know
Well, you did just open, sohopefully we can help you with
that.
So what are some of the wins?
I'm assuming congratulations onthe opening and you said it was
over a year you've been tryingto get this facility open.
Bianca (05:27):
Yes.
Storie (05:28):
And it took so long just kind of working through those
processes.
So we work off of a build,launch, grow scale methodology
with Heaven Trinity.
What point in that processwould you think you guys are?
Bianca (05:38):
I would say we're in the launch, the launch phase.
Yeah, really trying to get ourname out there.
Storie (05:43):
With the launch phase?
What are you utilizingNetworking events?
Are you using social media?
What's helped you so far andwhat you think will be
beneficial in getting your brandout there?
Bianca (05:54):
So I would say I've networked I'm you know I'm a
networking a ton right now andbuilding partnerships with
different clinics and hospitals.
Storie (06:05):
Oh, wow.
So you're going out and meetingthese clinics and hospitals and
just letting them know you'rehere.
Bianca (06:10):
Yes, yes, and let them come see our facility as well
and just see how we can, youknow, work together.
That's awesome.
If our clients need a higherlevel of care, we can send them
to where they are and vice versa, if they need to step down.
Storie (06:22):
Yeah, so like a mutually beneficial partnership.
Bianca (06:24):
Exactly yeah.
Storie (06:25):
That's awesome.
So what are your goals withinthe next six months year?
Three years for Nora.
Bianca (06:33):
I have a big vision and I think the goal would be to
have at least, you know, eightto 10 therapists at Nora Mental
Health, fort Worth and just helpso many people we can in the
community.
That is my, that is why we haveNora, so I want to help as many
people as I can.
That's the.
That's the biggest goal, andMatt and I would love to have
(06:56):
more locations would be thefuture.
Storie (06:59):
Awesome to really help.
I mean, mental health is, Ithink it's more apparent now for
sure than it used to be.
Well, I hope so anyway.
I know in the schools I havechildren in, you know, mid-teens
, so they're always goingthrough it.
But it's different now.
Bianca (07:15):
It is different.
Storie (07:17):
The stressors we had when we were younger are very
different.
With the digital aspect of it,since you're in the launch phase
right now, um, what um type ofnetworking groups are you a part
of?
What cities and locations areyou wanting to network with?
Bianca (07:32):
so we are a part of fort worth chamber of commerce as
well as benbrook chamber, Jam ofCommerce.
We partnered we just partneredwith Pathlight, Mood and Anxiety
in Fort Worth, as well as MesaSprings and Innovations, which
is their outpatient treatmentand I think that one's a little
more.
Storie (07:52):
You're closer than Mesa Springs would be right.
We're pretty close either way,but also we've partnered with
with other places with otherplaces as well, and you're
enjoying that partnership so farI am, I am, we also are a part
of the mental health connectionsoh, okay group that we we go to
(08:12):
, and we have different eventsthere as well so you guys um
have therapists that are um doin-person therapy and do you do?
Bianca (08:18):
virtual therapy yes, so our therapists do in-person and
virtual that which is great, sowe can reach everybody in tex.
Storie (08:25):
Yeah, Cause I know like sometimes when I got off work I
didn't want to get back intraffic and drive to my
therapist office, even though Iloved her Um, so it's easily
accessible for the kids and theadults.
Exactly, yeah, and that'sawesome.
Well, I'm really excited to comesee you guys, because I'm just
curious at this point that thereit's great that there's so many
more health, mental health,wellness facilities like yours
(08:51):
to really help people that havegone through this struggle.
So thank you for that.
But what would you say is onebit of advice you wish you had
known prior to starting yourfranchise.
Starting your franchise?
Bianca (09:03):
Advice I wish I would have known is when I was going
through my you know, I Istruggled a lot growing up and I
went through really darkperiods of times and I felt
really alone and I felt, likeyou know, like you always ask
the question why, why is thishappening, why, why am I like
this way?
And I wish somebody told me,bianca, like there's a reason
(09:28):
for this, because one day you'regoing to be able to help other
people and give them hope andyou're going to say you know,
there's people out there,professionals that you know,
that try to help them, butthey've never really struggled
with similar issues.
Storie (09:41):
So it's kind of hard to relate, absolutely.
Bianca (09:44):
I feel like if somebody could say say Bianca, one day
you can help people because youyou've walked the walk you know
and um, I think that would havehelped me so much.
Storie (09:52):
I agree.
I think, just hearing fromsomeone else that they've walked
through it too and being ableto feel that is important.
It would make me trust people alot more.
Bianca (10:02):
I agree, that's.
That's how I feel too, and justbeing a survival guide for
somebody else.
And that gives me a big purposefor my life, yeah.
Storie (10:11):
Man Well, I can't wait to have you on the show in eight
months to see how, how you guyshave grown.
Um, if anyone wants to learnmore about what you guys do, or
or learn more about yourservices, how can they reach you
?
Bianca (10:22):
So we have a LinkedIn page Nora Mental Health, fort
Worth Awesome.
We also have a website.
If you just say Nora MentalHealth and you can go to
locations and click on FortWorth and you can see who our
team is as well.
And you can always reach me onmy email.
Okay, be LaRue at.
Storie (10:40):
NoraMentalHealthcom.
Do you have a mentor?
That's kind of walked youthrough it?
Who do you look up to andreceive guidance from?
That's helped you kind of bewhere you are today.
Bianca (10:49):
Yes, so my dad definitely my number one person
I look up to he's no longer withus but, it's okay, but he is
amazing.
It was an amazing leader left,came from nothing, pulled
something amazing a big legacyin South Africa and my brother,
who is still back home in SouthAfrica.
(11:10):
I look up to him.
He always thinks of new ideasto be better and do better, and
he's just someone I rely onright now to be better be a
better leader in the community.
Storie (11:21):
That's amazing that you do have that support, Near or
far it's still there.
Yes, so that's wonderful.
It's great to have.
Well, thank you, bianca, and toall of our listeners out there,
please get in contact withBianca, even if you're just
curious about what the servicesare, reach out, it'll help.
We'll see you next time onMarket it With Atma you.
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