Meet Jourdan Klingbeil

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jourdan Klingbeil and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jourdan, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was working in a residential mental health setting and felt I was burning out quickly. Too quickly for a recent grad and as someone who wanted to be in this field long term, so I knew something needed to change. I kept hearing how great private practice was and how much more freedom there could be in running my own business. I was so nervous to take the leap! It wasn’t until a good friend of mine opened her own private practice and walked me through it step by step that I knew it was time. My thought behind taking that leap and opening my own business was the freedom to control my schedule and my every day to prevent burnout. Work/life balance is important to me, and having the opportunity to find that balance was a huge draw. On top of that, I wanted to develop more of a niche and specialty to reach the clients I felt passionate about working with. Getting to customize my business to be a reflection of me and how I can show up for my clients and myself has been so amazing and fun!

What should our readers know about your business?
My business, Happy Cactus Counseling, was built from a pretty simple (but important) belief: healing doesn’t have to feel cold, clinical, or like you’re being analyzed under a microscope. I wanted to create a space where people feel like they can actually exhale a little—where you can show up as you are, not as the version of yourself you think you’re supposed to be in therapy.

What sets my work apart is how much I focus on the body as part of the healing process. I integrate somatic work and nervous system education in a way that’s approachable, practical, and doesn’t require you to become a full-time mindfulness guru to benefit from it. Therapy with me isn’t just talking—it’s understanding why you feel the way you feel, how your nervous system learned to respond the way it does, and how to begin shifting those patterns in a way that actually sticks.

A big part of my work is helping redefine what trauma even means. A lot of people come in thinking, “Nothing that bad happened to me, so why do I feel like this?” And the truth is—trauma isn’t a competition. It’s not about comparing your experiences to someone else’s. It’s about how your nervous system experienced and adapted to what happened. Two people can go through the same situation and walk away with completely different internal experiences—and both are valid.

I also love exploring how some of our very first experiences—often before we had words for them—shape how we move through the world. How we connect with others, how we relate to ourselves, how safe (or not) things feel internally. Those early patterns don’t mean anything is “wrong” with you—they usually mean your system adapted in really intelligent ways. Sometimes we’re just working to update those patterns so they fit your life now, not the environment you had to navigate back then.

I’m really proud of how I’ve built this practice in a way that actually reflects what I believe in. It would have been easier to follow a more traditional model or say what I thought I was “supposed” to say as a therapist—but I kept coming back to what actually helps people: feeling safe, understood, and not rushed.

Getting here definitely wasn’t easy. Building a solo practice means you’re suddenly a therapist, business owner, marketer, scheduler, and occasional IT support (whether you wanted that last one or not). There were moments of doubt, moments of “what am I doing,” and a lot of learning as I went. But over time, I learned to trust my instincts, set clearer boundaries, and build something that feels sustainable—not just successful on paper.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that slower, more intentional growth is not a failure—it’s actually what allows this work to be meaningful and long-lasting. I’ve also learned that you don’t have to fit into a rigid mold to be a “good” therapist—your authenticity is part of what makes the work effective.

What I want people to know about my brand is that it’s rooted in both professionalism and humanity. You’re getting thoughtful, high-quality care—but you’re also getting a real person. Someone who understands that life is messy, that healing isn’t linear, and that sometimes growth looks like small, quiet shifts that don’t get enough credit.

At the end of the day, my goal is to help people feel more grounded, more connected to themselves, and more able to move through their lives with a little more ease. Not perfectly—but in a way that feels more like them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best friend is a fellow Arizonian living in the PNW so if she were visiting for a week, we would definitely do some of both our favorite things.

For day one we start slow—coffee/ lunch at Lola Coffee or Luci’s Marketplace. Do some shopping. Later, go for dinner at The Henry, the kind of place we can sit and talk for hours without feeling rushed. If we’re feeling it, we slide into Rough Rider after for some drinks and just really let her settle in.

The next day we head up to Sedona—snacks, playlist, no rush. Make scenic stops on the way up, Montezuma’s well, traverse the trail to the outlet at Montezuma Well to enjoy some surprising tranquility. Once in Sedona, go for an easy hike, wander the town just enough to feel like we did something but not enough to be tired, maybe a salt bath or an energy reading to really lean into the energy of Sedona. End with dinner with a view, maybe a glass of wine. Stay overnight so we can really enjoy it.

On the way back down, we’d make a stop in Jerome. Wander the streets, popping into shops, maybe grab a bite at the Haunted Hamburger. Head back home by late afternoon and enjoy a low-key reset night. Maybe takeout, maybe cook at home, maybe nothing at all!

Day four we focus on a full intentional laziness day, in true Arizona style spend a day by the pool, with snacks, drinks, and no obligations. Early evening, we head to the Desert Botanical Garden and end with dinner at Postino.

Day five we enjoy some self-care with a spa day at Joya Spa at the Montelucia or LeMonds at The Wigwam. No plans beyond being taken care of. We leave relaxed, quieter, and slightly convinced we should restructure our lives around this. End with a delicious dinner at FnB.

Day six is all about loose plans and good food. Enjoy a morning coffee at New Penny Café or a combo coffee and brunch at First Watch because it always delivers. Enjoy some shopping, wandering, popping into places that look interesting. Revisit old stomping grounds and have dinner somewhere easy like Flower Child or True Food Kitchen. Followed by an all-out night (but still in our way) at Pigtails or catching a show at Valley Bar.

On our last day we keep this day soft. Revisit some favorites, no pressure, no rush—just a really grounded ending to the week with no goodbye and rather an “I’ll see you later”. These traditions and moments are what make our friendship feel truly timeless.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people I would love to shout out, but there are two that I want to specifically give recognition and credit to. The first would be a great friend and fellow therapist, Holly Cook. While I have had great people in my life encourage and support my career, and many others that validated my abilities and professionalism, Holly went above and beyond by standing by me step by step as I faced my fears and opened my own practice. She is someone I could/can call with any question, concern, issue, or even just to talk or to vent! I give so many thanks to her for giving me the push I really needed to open my business. The other shoutout would go to my amazing husband. He is my rock, he has always been by my side challenging me, pushing me to be the best version of myself, supporting, cheerleading, and encouraging me, and so much more! Without him, I am unsure of where I would be today.

Website: https://happycactuscounseling.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jourdan-klingbeil-8a552ab4

Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/jourdan-klingbeil-peoria-az/1040825

https://www.azedp.net/therapists

Image Credits
All photos were taken by me.