A certified professional counselor, Anna Mathias Oparah is accustomed to improving her clients internal self image. But a recent opportunity to pose as a model for a photo shoot gave her new perspective on the power of one’s outer image and its impact of self esteem.
Since January of 2008, she has operated her own private practice, Oparah Counseling Services at 1440 W. Main Street in the Tipp City Professional Services building, working with couples, adolescents, and adults. Cases include depression, anxiety, marital issues and problems between parents and their children. Particularly 18 -year olds who are still in high school and must live under their parents ‘house rules.’
The challenge Oparah tackles in her professional life are outweighed by the gratification of making positive differences in the lives of others. “I feel honored by the role I have, that people trust me enough to (allow me to) witness their personal growth,” she said.
Oparah is 2002 graduate of Tippecanoe High School, though except for government class the rest of her senior year was spent attending Sinclair Community College. She received her B.A from Ohio State University and her Masters from Vanderbilt. To be working back in her home town is a privilege she is thankful for.
“Tipp City is a great place to have a private practice and I like having the support from my family after having a hard day,” she said.
While growing up, Oparah often heard that she would make a good counselor so she decided to pursue it. At OSU she helped at a suicide prevention hotline and the experience drew her in even deeper. “If I liked talking to people at their worst of times, and knew nothing about them or what happened after they got off the phone I wondered how much I would like being face to face and able to see the results.”
That personal interaction with her clients is what Oparah relishes most. She strives to make everyone feel at ease, understanding the discomfort of a first session, and shows a high level of interest. In order to give everyone the attention they deserve, Oparah limit’s the number of client’s she see’s so she remains fresh and is not overwhelmed.
“I don’t just see a dollar sign when someone walks through my door, but a person who needs my attention, it’s not about the money. I rather make a little less and give the best care that I can.”
Just as Oparah works to transform the internal self-image of her clients, she, too, discovered the significance of a transformational experience for a recent photo shoot. Oparah’s friend, Alicia Booker, a professional photographer from Nashville, TN and make-up/hair stylist Brittany Nelson, gave Oparah a make-over prior to a Tipp City photo session. The finished photographs were posted on Booker’s website, booker studios.com.
Oparah has been amazed by the positive response as, almost daily, dozens of compliments are offered. Although she never had considered herself model material, the experience has given her the opportunity to view herself in a different light.
“I felt like a million dollars. I wish that I could give all of my clients the experience of being made to feel beautiful. The insides are way more important than the outside, but there is a connection,” she confirms.
The counselor, who works daily to transform her clients, was given a rare opportunity to experience her own personal transformation-and to better understand the impact of making a change, whether it is internal or external in nature.
(Attributed to the Tippecanoe Gazette)
