Today we’d like to introduce you to Alice Murphy.
Hi Alice, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey began with a deep curiosity about myself and the struggles I’ve faced, as well as a fascination with how other people think and feel, why we hurt, how we heal, and what helps us remember who we truly are. Long before I became a counselor, I was the one others came to in moments of pain, confusion, or transition. I learned early in life that struggle can either close us or awaken us, though I didn’t fully understand that until much later, after I opened my practice. Much of my path grew out of my own pain and questions. I wanted to understand why I made the choices I did and how people grow through adversity rather than become defined by it.
That calling led me into the field of counseling, where I combined clinical training with a holistic view of the human experience, mind, body, and spirit. I founded Journey of Life Counseling & Consulting with the belief that healing is not just about managing symptoms, but about helping people reconnect with themselves, rewrite the stories they live by, and rediscover their own inner strength.
Like many who feel called to serve, my path hasn’t been linear or easy. Building a practice, walking alongside others in their pain, and holding space for transformation has required resilience, faith, and continual inner work of my own. Each challenge has refined my purpose rather than diminished it. I have learned so much from my clients and about myself in the process, and for that, I am truly grateful.
Today, my work is rooted in one simple truth: people are not broken, they are often just carrying stories that no longer serve them. Whether I am counseling, writing, teaching, or creating new spaces for healing, my mission is the same, to help people feel seen, supported, and empowered to live with clarity, hope, and wholeness.
Journey of Life is not just a business to me. It is a living expression of the belief that healing is possible, that growth is always available, and that every person holds the capacity to begin again.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Like many who feel called to help others, I had to learn how to build something meaningful while still doing my own inner work. There were moments of uncertainty, financial strain, and self-doubt, times when I questioned whether I was strong enough, capable enough, or “ready” enough to carry the vision I held.
Building a private practice from the ground up requires wearing many hats at once: clinician, business owner, administrator, and visionary. Learning how to balance the heart of healing work with the practical demands of running a business was one of my greatest challenges. There were seasons where growth felt slow and invisible, and I had to trust that the work I was doing, often quietly and behind closed doors, still mattered.
Emotionally, holding space for others while continuing to heal myself taught me humility and depth. This work doesn’t allow you to bypass your own wounds; it invites you to meet them with honesty and compassion. Each challenge became an opportunity to grow, refine, and align more fully with why I began in the first place.
Those struggles didn’t deter me, they shaped me. They taught me patience, faith, and presence. In my office, I have a quote on the wall that reads, “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” That reminder reflects both my personal journey and the work I do every day. Healing is not a destination but a journey, and walking alongside others requires first learning how to walk gently with yourself.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Journey of Life Counseling & Consulting is a holistic, heart-centered practice designed to meet people in the real places of their lives. I work with individuals, couples, families, and teens who are navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and relationship challenges. Many of my clients come in feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of who they are beneath everything they’ve been carrying.
What sets my work apart is that I don’t start from the assumption that something is wrong with a person. I start from the belief that their patterns once made sense, and that understanding those patterns with compassion is what creates real change. I integrate evidence-based therapy with mindfulness and spiritual awareness, creating a space that is both clinically grounded and soul-aware. Clients often tell me they feel truly seen here, not judged, rushed, or minimized.
I specialize in helping people understand the patterns that shape their thoughts, emotions, and relationships, and in guiding them to rewrite the stories that no longer serve them. Much of my work centers on self-awareness, emotional safety, and healing at the root rather than just managing symptoms. The goal is not simply to cope, but to grow and to move from survival into wholeness.
What I’m most proud of is the way people soften when they walk into my space. I’ve watched shoulders drop, tears finally come, and walls slowly lower. Journey of Life has become a place where people feel safe enough to tell the truth about what they’re carrying, and that kind of safety is what allows healing to begin. People often tell me, “I feel like I can breathe again.” That tells me the space is doing what it’s meant to do, creating space for people as they find their way back to themselves and reconnect with who they truly are.
My space is intentionally calm and grounded—sometimes shared with the quiet presence of my cats, who remind me daily what it means to be still, present, and gentle.
I want readers to know that everything I offer is created with care and intention. Whether someone comes for counseling, reflection, or deeper personal growth, my hope is that they leave feeling a little more connected to themselves, and a little more hopeful about what’s possible.
Journey of Life exists to walk with people as they learn to understand themselves, heal what hurts, and step more fully into the lives they want to live, to support them as they make sense of their story and begin shaping what comes next.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is helping people reconnect with who they truly are and recognize their own inner voice and strength. So many of us learn to live from survival, from old wounds, or from stories that were never ours to begin with. I care deeply about creating spaces where people feel safe enough to be honest, curious, and compassionate with themselves.
When someone realizes they are not broken, that their patterns once made sense and that they can choose something new, it changes the way they move through life. I often remind my clients that life is one decision after another, and that there is no absolute right or wrong, it simply is. Each moment offers a choice, and they get to decide what works for them and what no longer serves them. That moment of awakening is sacred to me.
This is also why I wrote my book. I wanted to create something that could reach people beyond the therapy room, something that helps them recognize the stories they’re living by and gives them language for change. I believe healing should be accessible, gentle, and human.
I believe that when one person begins to live more whole, it quietly ripples outward, into families, relationships, and communities. That is what keeps me doing this work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jolcc.com
