From Survival Mode to Authentic Coaching: My Branding Journey
Finding the right name for your business can feel like soul-searching and brand therapy all in one.
For me, it was a journey through self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and finally landing on something that felt… real. Here’s how I found my voice and built Authentic Coaching.
Building my brand has been an emotional process.
And I don’t just mean “challenging” in the business-y way. I mean personal, tangled-up-in-old-stories kind of hard.
The first thing I ever created was “Becca Stories”—a podcast named after something my parents used to say when they thought I was being “too much.”
It was meant to be endearing, but it always felt like they were brushing me off.
I cringe thinking about it now… but also, reclaiming that phrase felt like a power move at the time.
Then came “RAF Counseling”—manifesting my married name before it was official.
Because branding is weird like that. It mixes your identity with your dreams and hopes and ego and everything in between.
Then I became “Becca Ferguson, LPC.”
A big moment. I had survived provisional licensure… during a pandemic.
But did I stop to celebrate? Nope. I went straight into survival mode.
Opened a solo practice. Immediately joined a group practice.
Told myself, “Okay. You tried.”
But the thing that kept coming back—over and over again—was teaching.
That little kick in the gut that said, “You’re not done yet.”
I built and rebuilt so many times—“Group Therapy Pro,” “Tough Talks with Becca”—but they all felt flat. Forced.
It was like I was trying to squeeze into someone else’s brand voice instead of listening to my own.
I was branding from survival, not from alignment.
And honestly? It was exhausting.
Then I slowed down.
I got quiet.
I paid attention to the moments that felt good—when I was leading a group, mentoring a therapist, or creating something that actually helped someone.
One word kept rising to the surface:
Authenticity.
Then I remembered something Dr. Aprilia West said in an ACT training I took:
“Goals are the destination and values are the road that we drive on.”
I had said that line to clients so many times. But this time, it finally clicked for me.
I knew I wanted to teach. That was the goal.
But I had been choosing roads out of panic, fear, and “what will make people take me seriously?”
I wasn’t being authentic—I was trying to be impressive, edgy, and create something that would SELL.
I didn’t believe that my personality, story, and who I was at my core was enough.
So I retreated.
I got quiet.
I did what the "monsters on the bus" (thank you, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) were telling me to do:
"Sit down."
"Stop writing."
"Stop cussing."
"You're too loud."
"You'll never get there anyway, so go ahead and take this detour."
Eventually… I had ENOUGH.
So now? My coaching business is Authentic Coaching.
Because I don’t want to teach people how to fit into someone else’s system—I want to help them build a business that actually feels like theirs.
What Authenticity Actually Looks Like in Business
When we’re developing our identity—especially as therapists and business owners—it’s easy to get caught in the weeds.
We wonder, “What will help other people?”
Valid point. We are helpers. We’re therapists!
But here’s the skinny…
We’re also humans that have needs.
Driving on our values—rather than the monster’s roadmap—is what helps us identify more with ourselves inside and outside the therapy room.
When I explain values to my clients, I often tell them that authenticity is my number one value.
Who I am in the therapy room is who I am at home.
The only difference is that when I’m at home… I’m not wearing a bra.
And honestly? That’s as authentic as it gets.
💬 Want to Identify Your Business Values?
If you’re navigating your own messy middle of brand identity, burnout, or “WTF am I doing?” moments—I see you. You’re not alone.
🛠️ Click here👉 Browse my resources for therapists here
💌 Click here👉 Or join my email list for more real talk, no-fluff support
