How Rick Fulton Built a Counseling Practice That Prioritizes People Over Profit with Integrity, Empathy, and Recovery.
What Happens When the System Stops Serving the Healer?
If you’ve ever worked inside a broken system, you know the feeling: policies over people, profits over purpose.
That’s exactly what pushed Rick Fulton to leave traditional treatment centers behind.
After decades as a licensed professional counselor, Rick watched too many institutions chase the bottom line instead of real healing. He knew something had to change. And even though he was nearly two decades into his career, he made a bold move: he started over.
No marketing team. No business degree. Just experience, empathy, and a desire to do things differently.
“I have ADHD,” Rick shared. “It’s better for me to work for myself because I don’t have all that stuff going on.”
So in his 60s. No marketing team. No business degree. Just experience, empathy, and a desire to do things differently.
Today, Rick operates Rick’s Counseling Services, an independent therapy practice supported by major platforms like BetterHelp, Sondermind, and Grow Therapy. His focus? Helping individuals overcome addiction, anxiety, and trauma—using the very tools that saved his life.
For practitioners feeling stuck, this story isn’t about retiring early. It’s about realigning. Refocusing. Returning to why you started in the first place.
This isn’t a story about flashy growth or startup funding. It’s about staying the course. About building a career—and a calling—one human transformation at a time.
The Catalyst: When Personal Healing Sparks a Professional Mission
Rick didn’t enter the mental health world as an academic. He entered it as a patient.
“I quit drinking when I was 31,” Rick shared. “That was almost four decades ago. The 12-step program changed my life.”
It wasn’t just sobriety that ignited his new path—it was the therapist who helped guide him there.
Her name was Brooke Annis.
“She was soft-spoken, nonjudgmental, and kind but knew exactly how to get her point across,” he recalled. “She told me one day, ‘You should be doing this work,’ and something clicked.”
Rick started by earning his Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor designation in Texas. Four years later, he realized he wanted to go further. So he returned to school to earn a master’s degree in counseling.
That led to nearly three decades of clinical work—first in treatment centers, then in his own practice. Over time, one truth became clear:
Healing people isn't just about tools; it’s about trust.
Why Rick Left the System to Build His Own
For years, Rick worked in traditional addiction recovery programs. But the longer he stayed, the harder it became to ignore what wasn’t working.
“I worked at some treatment centers where the bottom line was the bottom line—not the care of the patients,” he said.
He tried to stay the course. But after a divorce and a move to Meridian, Texas, Rick decided to bet on himself.
“I just got tired of working for other people. I didn’t want to be told when to take lunch. I didn’t want to be micromanaged.”
So, he walked away.
He moved to a small Texas town of 3,000 people, took care of his aging parents, and built his own practice—slowly.
At first, referrals were scarce. But then came a lifeline: online therapy platforms.
Today, Rick’s Counseling Services operates through three major networks:
BetterHelp
Sondermind
Grow Therapy
Each platform gives him the freedom to serve his clients and the flexibility to work independently.
“I’m 70 now,” Rick shared. “I’m surprised I’m still doing this, but these online platforms have extended my career. They’ve allowed me to keep helping people without burning out.”
A Practice Grounded in Empathy, Structure, and Mindfulness
Rick isn’t trying to reinvent therapy. But he is doing it differently.
He specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—a structured, evidence-based approach especially effective for clients navigating:
Addiction
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
He also integrates mindfulness, teaching clients how to observe their thoughts and regulate their emotional responses.
“It’s simple,” Rick said. “But when people actually practice it daily, it changes things.”
What makes Rick’s practice unique isn’t just the techniques—it’s the foundation of lived experience and deep compassion.
“I tell my clients, ‘I’m just Lewis and Clark. I’ve been down this road, and I can show you the path. But you have to take the steps.”
He’s worked with everyone from first-time therapy clients to couples in crisis. But some of his most profound work has been with recovering addicts and trauma survivors.
“I once treated a woman with high-functioning autism for two years,” he recalled. “We had to build her social skills from scratch. She’s a completely different person now.”
Rick doesn’t promise quick fixes. He offers a mirror. A map. And a steady guide who’s walked the terrain himself.
Therapy That’s Personal, Not Transactional
One of Rick’s most powerful stories happened in a group session years ago.
A woman opened up about drinking to numb the guilt of a past abortion. Rick guided her through a Gestalt therapy exercise—a method he uses in person but not online. He placed another group member in front of her to role-play her unborn child, repeating the words, “I forgive you.”
Something shifted.
“I believe God was in the room that night,” Rick said. “It wasn’t anything I did. The other woman in the chair had also had an abortion. It was healing for both of them.”
He’s the first to admit—not every story has a happy ending. One of the women stayed sober. The other didn’t.
But moments like that? They affirm why he does this work.
“I’ve never experienced anything like it since,” he said.
A Message for New Practitioners and Wellness Entrepreneurs
Rick’s advice for aspiring therapists is simple and unconventional.
“The first thing I tell people who want to be a therapist: Go be a client for a year,” he said. “Get your junk out of the way so you can help people.”
Why?
Because true guidance only comes from authenticity.
You can’t lead people through a healing journey you haven’t taken yourself.
He also reminds new practitioners that the path isn’t quick or easy.
“First, you get your degree. Then you get supervised hours. Then you take the test. It’s a process.”
But if you’re willing to stay the course? It’s worth it.
Especially when the system doesn’t align with your ethics. Especially when you’re ready to do things on your terms.
What’s Next for Rick’s Counseling Services
Rick may be nearing retirement, but he’s not done yet.
His goals are simple:
Continue working with clients who need him.
Stay grounded in mindfulness and CBT.
Embrace the flexibility of online platforms.
He’s not chasing scale. He’s chasing impact.
No team. No office. Just Rick and a roster of people whose lives are changing, one session at a time.
Why His Story Matters to the Industry
In a world obsessed with growth and tech disruption, Rick’s story is a quiet rebellion.
He didn’t build a scalable startup. He built a life.
He didn’t create new frameworks. He used the ones that work.
He didn’t get rich. But he helped people get free.
And that, in today’s wellness industry, is rare.
We need more stories like Rick’s.
More practitioners choose purpose over profit.
More businesses are built from personal transformation.
More voices saying:
Healing is the goal. Everything else is noise.
Helping Others Heal Is the Ultimate Medicine
At MBNews, we believe that healing doesn’t always happen in hospitals or even inside the system.
Sometimes it happens on Zoom.
Sometimes it happens in a tiny town in Texas.
Sometimes it happens because someone, somewhere, decided to stay at work, even after 31 years.
Rick Fulton didn’t just build a practice. He built a path for others to walk.
If you’re a therapist, coach, or wellness entrepreneur feeling unsure about your direction, let this be your reminder:
You don’t have to scale. You don’t have to be flashy. You just have to care.
Because when healing is your north star?
The impact speaks for itself.
Want to Connect with Rick Fulton?
📍 Based in Meridian, TX (online clients welcome)
🧠 Specializing in CBT for addiction, anxiety, and trauma
📞 Available via BetterHelp, Sondermind, and Grow Therapy
🧭 Business Name: Rick’s Counseling Services
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