Photography by JEHADU ABSHIRO
Gracie the office greeter is an Oak Cliff street dog that Marci Orr found darting through traffic on Tyler Street nine years ago.
She comforts and amuses visitors to Lifeologie Counseling Oak Cliff, as Orr’s therapy assistant.
Melanie Wells founded Lifeologie in Dallas in 1999, and Orr is clinical director of the Oak Cliff franchise, which opened in 2018.
Orr was clinical director for multiple outpatient facilities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area when the opportunity arose. The Elmwood resident has lived in Oak Cliff for 10 years.
“It has been a beautiful journey,” she says. “The community here is remarkable. It’s made up of small business owners and entrepreneurs, so everyone is very supportive.”
The concept is to provide mental-health services and counseling at various price points in a setting that’s approachable.
It’s more like walking into a chic coffee shop with good lighting and inviting furniture than a medical office. They offer clients coffee and tea. Aromatherapy and soft music are at play too.
“We engage the senses. What you see, what you taste, what you hear, what you smell,” she says. “We want to brighten your day.”
It’s also very collaborative. Professionals at Lifeologie include interns who are graduate students, post-graduates who are still under supervision and then fully licensed counselors. Once a week, they all get together and talk about their personal and professional lives.
And they host events like Movember, which spotlights men’s mental health every November. Their 2019 event included brewery samples, giveaways, local musicians, a mustache contest and a panel discussion on men’s mental health. Every December is “Women’s Winter Wellness,” and Lifeologie is also an Oak Cliff Women in Business member.
Learn more about the services offered at wefixbrains.com/oakcliff or call 972.590.8030.
Orr worked in advertising and marketing for 20 years
I made a career change at 40. I went back to school and got my master’s in counseling from SMU, and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. It was a calling, and I finally heard it and acted on it.
The need for counseling in a post-pandemic world
We still don’t know the full impact of what this pandemic did to us. Couples and families either thrived, or it really divided them, so there are a lot of couples struggling. The divorce rate has gone up. Kids were really struggling with the isolation and a complete change in their lifestyle, so we’re seeing an increase in that need for teens and tweens and littles. Depression and anxiety are way up. The need is there, but it’s different. We’re all trying to understand what it’s done to us.
The neighborhood made the business a success
Oak Cliff has a unique set of circumstances and people that made this so welcoming. It was a lot of work, and it took a vision, but it was built through relationships, referrals, word of mouth. It’s great to know that can still happen in this technology-driven world.
Adaptability
Telehealth became a big part of our business during the pandemic, and we will always have that option available. We have a bilingual therapist, Kenia Rios, and we’re growing our multilingual resources to serve our diverse community. We also offer group therapy in response to our clients’ need. We try to respond to whatever the community needs.
