Exploring Life & Business with Jordanna Saunders of Trauma Recovery Services of Arizona

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordanna Saunders.

Hi Jordanna, can you introduce yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Hello! My name is Jordanna. I’m the owner & operator of a group behavioral health private practice called Trauma Recovery Services of Arizona, which has been in operation for 5 years. I am Navajo and grew up on the Navajo Reservation in a small town called Crownpoint, located in New Mexico. I now call the Valley home. There’s no place like Arizona! I moved to Arizona to attend college and majored in Psychology. I ultimately got a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Arizona, a master’s degree in Counseling from Arizona State University, and practice as an Independently Licensed Professional Counselor. I’ve been working in mental/behavioral health for over 20 years. I’ve worked in many settings over the years, including outpatient counseling/mental health, in jails, in the community, in hospitals, doing crisis work, and in Tribal communities. Several years ago, while working for a Tribe in the southwest, I was trained in a modality called EMDR. EMDR is an advanced type of psychotherapy that engages the brain to heal from past negative events. It became popular as a frontline treatment for PTSD. These days, EMDR has shown efficacy in treating much behavioral health and traumatic experiences. My personal story of how I became a practice owner is dynamic. Before the Covid-19 vaccine became available, I lost a brother to Covid and alcoholism. Shortly after he passed, I was asked to take care of my 6-year-old nephew. I took him in and realized quickly that I couldn’t continue to work as much or see as many clients. My business mentor suggested I bring people on board, and I did. I believe that the pandemic has increased mental health conditions. So, I started hiring people, and the business has grown and continues to grow thanks to Valley and other Arizona residents who trust us with their care. I believe community wellness begins with one healed person at a time.

Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Owning a business is an adventure. It has sometimes been challenging. Some challenges along the way were financial. To grow, you must have cash flow (to make payroll).

As you know, we’re big fans of Trauma Recovery Services of Arizona. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
At Trauma Recovery Services of Arizona, we use cutting-edge psychotherapy treatments to treat car accident survivors, childhood/adulthood abuse survivors, homicide survivors, and your everyday person dealing with depression, stress, anxiety, and PTSD. We treat ages 13 and up virtually through live Telehealth video. We can treat anyone who lives in the State of Arizona. We accept several major insurances and believe in affordable psychotherapy. As the owner and operator of the behavioral health practice, I specialize in EMDR therapy and recently authored a book chapter about treating American Indians using EMDR therapy. Some things that set us apart are our beliefs that treatment should be accessible and high-quality, that practitioners should be well-trained in trauma therapy, and have a personal investment in social justice. We treat many BIPOC, LGBTQIA, and other underserved folks from oppressed communities. Our commitment is that we give approximately 20% of our services at low/no cost/in-kind. As a business owner and a Navajo woman, it’s fundamentally important to me that we give back to our communities.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Generosity and a commitment to excellence

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trsofaz.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trsofaz
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TRSofAZ
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWuGxE2oafZ3ujdn-7Xk6wQ
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannabug/

Image Credits
Native Women Lead/NMCC, Roshan Spottsville