Britny overcomes mental health struggles and seeks new career

An Austin native, Britny attended McCollum High School before going to Prairie View A&M University, the second-oldest public institution of higher education in the state of Texas, where she studied business administration with a concentration in finance as a first generation college student. She graduated from Prairie View with a 3.98 GPA and was able to utilize her interest in math, a subject (alongside investing) that was first introduced by her father at a young age.

Britny went on to work for a tech company for three years before a series of medical issues led to job loss in early 2024. She shared that this setback began when she received a diagnosis in 2022 that impacted her mental health and performance. Over the past two years, Britny has worked diligently to learn more about her mental health to thrive in her next role.

Fast forward to today, Britny has a much better understanding on ways to maintain a healthy mindset despite past challenges. Recently, she came to DFSA for a professional styling appointment, career coaching session and a new headshot to refresh her professional profile and get back to applying to jobs.

She credits her progress to her mom and family who have shown her grace and been a continuous support system. She also shared about a technique called Reality Therapy that has helped her improve present relationships and circumstances by choosing better behaviors and thoughts that satisfy her basic needs. This form of psychotherapy and counseling was initially developed by William Glasser in the 1960s. She first discovered this method a few years ago while reading Switch on your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf, a book Britny says made a big impact in her own mental health journey. Britny says it’s all about choosing another pathway and actively challenging thoughts that are real and active. “Every thought is attached to emotions,” she says.

Now that she has her own tool belt of resources to excel in her career, she hopes to find a role where she can use her experience in finance and existing skills. She has her eyes set on a job with the City of Austin, but is open to various industries. She hopes to get back to her professional career stronger than before and is optimistic for what’s ahead now that is better equipped with therapy methods that fit her needs. She was open to sharing her story in hopes that other women facing similar struggles find hope in her perseverance.