Zeitgeist Expressions Inc. – a one stop wellness shop

A licensed family therapist since 1991, Patricia Adams had a quest to help people with counseling, therapy and crisis inter­vention, nutritional advice and medical massage. She wanted to offer all these services under one roof. Six years later, Adams’ dream wellness facility is prosper­ing and helping individuals in the city of San Antonio.

“In 2001, I was in private practice doing my own scheduling, my own market­ing, the billing, etc … and I operated a one-stop counseling facility when I was asked to move my private practice,” Adams said. She was renting her space from anoth­er business owner.

The same day I contacted my hus­band who recommended that I call the Small Business Administration and find out what was available for women wanting to start their own business,” she continued.

“All those things I was doing myself – scheduling, marketing, attracting clients. I felt I could make the process easier by cre­ating a business that offers those services where someone like a therapist would pay a flat rate fee to be in a practice where all of those additional services are taken care of. [This would] allow them to be inde­pendent and concentrate solely on their work,” Adams said. “My husband Roo­sevelt and I realized we could create a business model where I could attract coun­selors, massage therapists, registered dieti­cians and personal trainers to come join me and that’s how the Zeitgeist Expressions Inc. started.”

Zeitgeist Expressions Inc. provides individual, marriage crisis, parenting, adoption and adolescent counseling servic­es. Other services include corporate con­sultation, education presentations, seminars and workshops on marriage, sexuality, family crisis, choices and decisions for family and groups, corporate environmen­tal relationship building and management building.

Now operating in 16 states, Zeitgeist Expressions works closely with clients like the federal government, providing services for U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.

Our company has infiltrated the mili­tary system where we have licensed mar­riage family therapists that work at 13 Army bases along with licensed clinical social workers and clinical psychologists who counsel soldiers – Army, Navy and Air Force – helping them with PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder] issues and other readjustment issues that specifically relate to resocialization,” Adams said.“It involves helping them adjust to reuniting with their family and the roles that have probably changed somewhat during their absence.”

And for young families, the early dis­charge nurse helps the parents work through the first stages of coming home with a newborn.

“It is so rewarding helping them learn to nurse their babies, as well as teaching them how to handle stressors of such a joy­ous time including signs of postpartum depression and [providing] educational classes to prevent shaken baby syndrome,” Adams explained.

Zeitgeist Wellness Group, a dba of Zeitgeist Expressions Inc., offers nutrition, physical fitness evaluations, first aid and CPR training and educational programs.
“Instead of just having counselors, we offer a whole wellness line; for example, if you are visiting with a therapist and they recommend you see a nutritionist, you can go down the hall and set up an appointment with a nutritionist without having to leave the building,” Adams explained. “Or maybe the doctor said you had high blood pressure and you are stressed, so you make an appointment with one of our personal trainers to have an exercise program designed for you.”

One practice Adams has in place in her corporate office is allowing her employees to have every other Friday off.

“It is so important to give your employees the time to take care of their personal needs, dentist and medical appointments, things that need to be done … so we built into our philosophy early on that everyone was going to work 32 hours a week, and by getting every other Friday off, those are the days you have to take care of yourself,” Adams said.

A member of the National Association of Women Business Owners since October 2003, Adams serves as a United Way board member and belongs to the Central and South Texas Minority Business Council, an affiliate of National Minority Supplier Development Council. She is also a mem­ber of the American Association of Mar­riage and Family Therapy and has served as a member of the Speakers Bureau for Healthy Families of San Antonio since 1991. Adams is not only a licensed mar­riage and family therapist, but is a consult­ant, professional speaker, chaplain and an aspiring author.

To learn more about the Zeitgeist model e-mail Zeitgeist at aa@zeitgeistex-pressions.com.