Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophy Varghese.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My family immigrated to the United States from India when I was four years old, and we settled into typical immigrant life in the Maryland suburbs. In the fourth grade, my life took an unexpected and traumatic turn when I witnessed severe violence within my family. That experience profoundly shaped how I understood myself and the world around me. Even so, my Christian faith and the support of my community became essential sources of strength, helping me navigate and make meaning of those challenges.
As I moved though high school, and was approaching the decision about where to go to college and what to major in, my mother connected me to a social worker in our community who had a strong commitment to help others and was thriving in his career in child and family services. Our conversation about social work significantly influenced my own decision to pursue the field.
I went on to earn a bachelors degree in Social Work and Healthcare Administration & Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, followed by a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland at Baltimore.
I’ve been a social worker for over two decades now with a wide range of experiences within the field.
My husband has been a key figure in my journey. He saw potential in me that I didn’t see myself and encouraged me to step into roles that felt challenging. An accomplished and ambitious man himself, I’m grateful that he made room for me—to grow, to take risks, and to step into my potential. His support and partnership have been invaluable and my story can’t be told without mention of him.
A turning point came when the pandemic hit close to home and a friend’s daughter was told she would need to wait several months to receive therapy she so desperately needed. That experience compelled me to take a step forward with Winning with Good Counsel, an LLC I formed a few years prior with the intention of starting a therapy practice. I began by seeing a few clients each week while continuing to work in a full time leadership role, doing what I could to make a difference during a critical time.
My journey to becoming a private practice owner has been shaped by my own challenges, the resilience I cultivated, and the strength I gained from rising stronger after each setback.
Today, Winning With Good Counsel is a space where I help people strengthen their minds and hearts, anticipate and respond to challenges, problem solve, process emotions, let go of negatives and help shift mindsets. Drawing on clinical wisdom and strategic thinking, I guide individuals as they move past self-limiting beliefs, embrace growth, and step into freedom. It is incredibly rewarding!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey has been far from smooth, but it has been rich, meaningful and full of lessons learned in the midst of challenges. Becoming an entrepreneur once felt out of reach. I always admired people who had the courage to leave stable jobs and take the leap into private practice. For a long time, it felt like an impossible stretch for someone like me. I struggled with what I now understand as a poverty of possibilities—an inability to see what I was capable of becoming.
Yet over time, I realized that the challenges and pain of my past had shaped qualities I could bring into meaningful work—strategic thinking, compassion, collaboration, and strength. In the spaces where people allow themselves to be vulnerable, those qualities became essential. I began to recognize that my role was, at its core, that of a healer. I came to understand that offering the world a service aligned with my purpose was not about selling—it was about meeting a genuine need. It was about using my gifts to help others experience freedom and transformation.
Fortunately, when I made the full transition into private practice, it unfolded more smoothly than I expected, but not without challenges. There were periods when referrals slowed, moments when I had to absorb the disappointment of not being the right fit for certain clients, and learning to be genuinely comfortable with that reality.
A couple of years into it, I clearly see that this work is part of my calling, my destiny. The progress I’ve seen clients make and the transformation I witness confirm that the therapeutic process makes a difference and that is profoundly rewarding. It energizes me!
A friend of mine, who is also a therapist, shared something that has stayed with me: a good therapist is not manufactured through education and knowledge, but someone who has been marked by life, given the gift of pain and suffering, and has overcome. I have gotten to where I am today because I have navigated my own challenges with God by my side, built resilience, and learned to rise stronger each time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Winning With Good Counsel?
I’ve been a social worker for over two decades now with a wide range of experience within the field of social work, and each position helped me grow in unique ways, serving as a stepping stone to the next. I’ve worked in geriatrics, child and family services, housing services and inpatient and outpatient behavioral health settings.
Prior to stepping into private practice full time, I spent seven years in leadership, including the last five as the Director of Social Work at Saint Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC.
I never imagined myself becoming a manager. In fact, I resisted leadership at first because I liked being responsible only for myself—something I could control. But life kept pulling me into leadership spaces, and at times I felt inadequate. Those moments, however, became some of my greatest teachers, helping me grow in ways I never expected. I discovered that I am a problem solver and learned that hard work, emotional intelligence and humility is more important than knowing all the answers.
I was blessed with an amazing team of social workers at the hospital, and together we navigated the challenges of the COVID pandemic with resilience and unity while we were navigating our own fears. That season taught me the strength of sharing a clear purpose, the value of compassion, and the importance of leading with both humility and courage. People often stopped by my office to share their fears, frustrations, and vulnerabilities, and many told me they felt lighter afterward. Some apologized for unloading, but I always felt honored—because being trusted with someone’s heart is sacred. All of these experiences shaped both the person and the practitioner I am today.
In the present day, as I reflect on almost two years of leaving a relatively stable position and taking the risk of opening up a private practice, I am full of gratitude. It’s even better than I imagined and I know the best is yet to come.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
When I opened my private practice during a time when virtual therapy had become the norm, I wondered whether it would feel strange to do such sacred work through a screen. What I’ve discovered is that connection can still be created, and therapy remains effective.
This journey has also shown me where I’m most effective in the therapy space. I’m deeply committed to supporting women as they navigate the unique challenges of balancing life and responsibility. Whether it’s managing the pressures of societal expectations, carrying multiple roles, overcoming depression or anxiety, healing from trauma, or finding their voice in relationships and career, I understand how layered and complex women’s experiences can be. My work is grounded in honoring each woman’s individual story and cultural background while helping them explore universal themes like self-worth, boundaries, identity, and empowerment. I’m passionate about helping women grow in clarity, confidence, and resilience.
And finally, I truly believe that with God on your side — and a willingness to push past self-limiting beliefs — anything is possible. Take small steps toward your dreams and embrace the process. Just do it. Everyone has been given a gift; use yours to make a meaningful impact in the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://winningwithgoodcounsel.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophy-varghese-6274291b5
