Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Harris.
Hi Lee, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I first became interested in mental health in high school where I was able to take 2 psychology courses. After that, I went back and forth between business and mental health as I continued my education while working for a bank. I called the bank my college job, but I spent 10 years there, which was part of the reason I went back and forth on just staying in business, or pursuing mental health. Eventually I realized cubicle work and staring at a computer was not what I wanted to do, and finished my masters degree.
After completing my master’s degree, I went on to work for several different mental health offices. FI started off working for a private practice where I did in-home therapy for kids and families working with children’s division. I went to work at a youth residential center, an adult and teen substance use center, an agency for abused and neglected children, a community mental health center, and finally ended with my own private practice full time.
I had my private practice as a secondary/part-time job for several years. At the start of 2024, I was approached my two other therapists who wanted to join my practice. At that time, I deceived to grow the practice and went from just me, doing online therapy, to having two other therapists, and opened our first office.
Summer of 2025, I decided to quit my full time job in community mental health and went full time into my private practice. We opened our second office, and now have a total of 6 therapists including myself working in the practice.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a challenge owning my own business and running a therapy practice. I consider myself lucky because before I became a therapist, I worked in banking and did a lot of work with businesses. I became familiar with the steps to create and financially run a business. However, knowing the steps and being good at implementing them is different.
Most of the challenges have come as I have expanded the business, and took on others who work under it. The challenges of balancing funds and finding an affordable office was the first hurdle that took a few months to work out.
Then, learning how to bill client insurance and the entire medical billing process is something I am still learning. I understand why there are positions dedicated to just this and degrees in it. Expanding a second time and hiring on more therapists has been a unique challenge.
In mental health, as with most businesses, you cannot just hand your shingle and people start coming to you. Working to attract new clients, to connect them with the appropriate therapist, and floating money to cover things while therapists build a caseload has been challenging.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about AHA Mental Health?
We are a mental health office, offering individual and family therapy session, both in office in Lees Summit, MO and online to people living all over Missouri and Kansas. We are growing, and just recently expanded to having 6 therapists and two locations. We work with all ages, from 6 years old to elderly, and have therapists that take some insurances.
We are flexible, offering day, evening and weekend appointments to work with clients’ scheduled.
What’s next?
in 2026, we will be looking to continue expanding. We will be moving/expanding one of our offices, and looking to add more full time therapists. We would like to hire on additional mental health supports, such as case workers/outreach support.
Pricing:
- $100-135 per session without insurance
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ahamentalhealth.com
