Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the North Atlanta Metropolitan area?
Nina: All over. I grew up in a military family. I’ve lived in Georgia the longest though- guess I qualify as a Georgia Peach by now.
How many children do you have and how old are they?
Nina: I have a 2-year-old and a baby due in July.!
What’s your favorite thing about raising a family in the North Atlanta Metropolitan area?
Nina: I love Georgia’s fall and spending time outside with the family during that time of year.
Least favorite mom job? (i.e. packing lunches, dishes, bath time, etc.)
Nina: Dealing with the whining. It’s so exhausting and tries my patience every time.
Best mom hack/mom tip that makes life easier?
Nina: Learn to be okay with the house being messy and not as organized as prior to children. This is still hard for me, but when I can let go of this expectation it makes life easier.
We’re big on self-care for moms, as hard as it is to find the time, what’s something you do just or yourself?
Nina: Jogging, watching Real Housewives, & getting pedicures.
Tell me more about your business and what you do?
Nina: Hirt Psychology- We provide psychotherapy services (virtual and in-person) for children, adolescents, and adults. I personally specialize in body image/self-esteem issues, eating problems/disorders, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Hirt Psychology is known for helping people reach their goals and improve their mental and emotional well-being. My husband and I opened our practice right before the pandemic. We both previously worked for other practices but had a vision and ambitions to create our own practice. We have been inspired by our own life challenges, seasoned therapists, our clients, and mentors, to act on that vision of creating something that is a safe and welcoming place for people to get help. We make ourselves easily available to clients and family members. For example, it will not take us multiple days to get back to a client or their family member.
What can we do to support you in the community?
Nina: To support us, please just spread the word about our practice if you know anyone looking for a therapist. We offer free consultations to see if one of our therapists would be a good fit.
Best advice for moms who experience the inevitable and dreaded MOM GUILT? How do you balance being a business owner and Mama?
Nina: Mom guilt is normal- it means we care! But, we will all fall short and make mistakes as a parent. This is just going to happen! It’s really about how we deal with our mistakes- for example, apologizing and owning it when needed – this of course can we invaluable for a little human to see their parent do. Balancing motherhood with other life responsibilities is a tight rope to walk, especially when establishing a new business. I can sense when my daughter is craving more time with me and I really try to put work aside in those moments. Also, I try to make the time I do have with her be really quality time.
