Potted olive tree with green leaves casting shadow on white wall in bright sunlight.

rachel Hyland, LPC-mhsp (T)

AFFILIATED WITH FULL CIRCLE COUNSELING OF TENNESSEE

Therapy to help you nurture a deeper relationship with yourself and the ones you love.

Hi, I’m Rachel — I’m so glad you’re here.

Life doesn’t always turn out the way we imagined. The gap between our expectations and reality can feel deeply disappointing. At the heart of this is loss — the loss of a dream, of love, of time, of faith, the loss of the version of ourselves we had hoped to be. The uncertainty of it all can erode our self-trust, leaving us unsure of our own inner wisdom. 

When we find ourselves in a story we would not have chosen for ourselves, it is common to feel a host of uncomfortable emotions. I help individuals of all ages engage their stories of disappointment, loss, and pain with curiosity and compassion. Powerful change can happen when we allow another soul to bear witness to our story with openness and acceptance. I will support you in restoring self-trust, so you can feel more grounded, confident, and connected to yourself.

Empty white sheet of paper or background with no visible objects or text.
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, smiling, wearing a sleeveless blue top, sitting on a brown chair in a room with white walls and a framed artwork in the background.
“Our capacity for connection with others is directly linked to our ability to connect with and accept ourselves.”
— Brene Brown
A large, old olive tree with a thick, gnarled trunk stands in a sunlit field with rolling hills in the background.

Olive trees have been called trees of resilience. Some have stood for thousands of years, weathering storms, drought, and change—yet they still bear fruit. Even when their trunks are cut down, new shoots rise from the roots, a quiet reminder of the possibility of renewal.

What makes olives unique is that they cannot be eaten right off the tree. Their natural bitterness must be softened through curing, transforming them into something nourishing. The process of therapy often follows a similar path: the parts of our story that feel bitter and difficult can, over time, be softened and transformed into sources of wisdom and strength.

Olive oil itself only comes through the pressing and crushing of the fruit. In much the same way, our own seasons of pressure can feel overwhelming, even breaking us open. Yet the pressing is not the end of the story. Our circumstances may feel crushing, but in the pressure, a valuable gift of healing, growth, and deeper strength can be revealed.

Slow-growing and deeply rooted, the olive tree teaches us about endurance, renewal, and the beauty that can emerge from struggle. It reminds us that what feels bitter can be transformed and what feels broken can bear fruit again.

The wisdom of olive trees

Contact Info

103 Continental Place, Suite 400
Brentwood, TN 37027

Hours
Monday / Wednesday / Thursday
By appointment only

Phone
615-933-9431