Somerset therapist returns to hometown to offer support and healing to his community: “Keeping therapy simple because life isn’t”

Ranjit “Roni” Bhullar of Somerset has a heart for helping people, and now his journey has led him back to his hometown to serve his community. “There’s a lengthy waitlist for mental health services here, so I thought I might be able to fill a need,” said Bhullar. “In an ‘it city’ like Nashville there are more opportunities for people seeking help, but I have the skills to help our community right here and I’m going to.” But his certainty about pursuing his calling in the community was overshadowed by the stressful logistics of starting a business—until he learned about the services available through Startup Alleghenies.

“When I met with Matt Reckner from Startup Alleghenies, my concerns subsided,” said Bhullar. “He helped to connect me with so many resources — telling me that Penn State could help with the legal aspect of the business and St. Francis University would assist with website and logo development, as well as business card creation.”

I like to say that I’m keeping therapy simple because life isn’t

With his newfound support system, Bhullar was able to launch his own practice and now has an open invitation to call on Reckner when questions arise. “Matt Reckner listens and offers advice. With small businesses, it can be scary to start your own, but with someone like him, it’s so much easier,” he added.

A life made richer by helping others

Bhullar earned a master’s degree in clinical counseling at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he met his wife, Stephanie. While he was earning his degree, he also worked as a valet and bellman at a hotel, interacting with many people, including well-known figures like Aretha Franklin and Colin Powell. “Meeting celebrities was fun, but I also knew that middle-class folks were spending money on a nice getaway and I had the chance to be part of that experience by recognizing them and making a connection—being a quality guest in someone else’s life,” said Bhullar.

Upon graduation, Bhullar worked as a psychiatric tech at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital (now Vanderbilt Behavioral Health) in Nashville, but he had always been a missionary at heart. After two and a half years in Nashville, he and Stephanie embarked on a long-term mission to Haiti. “My wife and I spent five years there working at the Hope House for The Children of the Promise. The goal was to work with children from six weeks old to eight years old and help them develop healthy attachments to ease the transition to adoption when that time came,” he said.

Matt Reckner listens and offers advice. With small businesses, it can be scary to start your own, but with someone like him, it’s so much easier.

While in Haiti, Bhullar also served as a mental health advocate and group therapist. “I helped with emotional regulation and issues that arose in adolescents at Hope House,” he said. “There are few stateside comparisons. Few experiences can prepare a person to serve in Haiti. However, serving in Haiti prepares a person to serve almost anywhere.”

Filling the need in his hometown

When political unrest hit Haiti, Bhullar and his wife returned to Nashville where he resumed work at Vanderbilt. “They welcomed me back with open arms,” he said. However, he couldn’t stop mulling over the idea of launching his own practice. After two years in Nashville, he and Stephanie moved back to his hometown in Somerset, PA, with the intention of being closer to family and slowing down from the rapid pace of city life. “I noticed there was a significant need for mental health therapy in this area and not enough qualified providers,” he said.

“I would visit Uptown Works, a co-working space in Somerset, for telehealth calls and would see Roz Pugh, the office manager, quite often. She brought up the idea a few times—her encouragement and her ever-present smile made me think I could do this,” said Bhullar. “Opening a business in a small town allows for rapid word-of-mouth advertising, lower overhead, more reasonable cost of living, and no rush hour. Without a resource for small business owners like Uptown Works, my ability to make this venture possible would be largely limited.”

Bhullar opened his practice at 109 E. Main Street, Somerset, in May, to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month. He is now offering counseling for adolescents, adults, and couples. He said that he is excited to discover what the future has in store for him, his wife, and their children Eliza and Gianluca. “I think what I enjoy the most about helping others is the human-to-human connection—allowing myself to be a guest in someone’s life and creating a safe space for listening. I like to say that I’m keeping therapy simple because life isn’t,” he said.

Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.