In this interview, host Tami Holladay speaks with former client Sonya Burdick about her experience in the BU Be Confident 8‑week group. Sonya joined the program after a challenging job transition that shook her self‑confidence. She valued the group’s peer support, the opportunity to hear others’ stories, and the focused work on self‑belief and mindset. Through discussions about self‑talk and adopting a growth mindset, Sonya had an “aha” moment that gave her the confidence to leave the unsatisfying role and move into a new, happier position. She highlights the affordability and targeted nature of the group compared to individual counseling, praises the safe, vulnerable atmosphere, and expresses interest in continuing the community beyond the eight weeks. Sonya encourages anyone on the fence to try the program, noting its effectiveness in rebuilding confidence.
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Hi, Sonia. Thank you for joining me today. How are you?
I'm good. How are you, Tami?
Doing good. Doing good. I was wanting to have you share with my community your experience of being a part of the BU Be Confident group. And so would you mind sharing with us what led you to even join the group?
Well, I have worked with you before in the past, and it really helped me kind of organize my thinking and just have a space to talk about some things that, you know, that I needed to talk about but didn't necessarily have somebody to talk with. So it was nice to be able to join that group and, you know, just listen to what other people had to say and then kind of get support where I needed it.
Was the part about the group That it was talking about how do you build your self-belief and become more confident? Did that resonate, or was there something else that kind of resonated with you in that?
No, that definitely resonated with me because I had been struggling in my job, and it was a new job for me. And I, you know, it just kind of— because I had been in my other position for so long. And that, um, I was kind of surprised that, um, my self-confidence was kind of rocked from the new job. And, um, I just needed support. And I had gone to individual counseling and, um, I just didn't feel like that, that was the place I needed to be. It was more like I just really wanted to concentrate on, like, self-confidence and how to get that confidence back and I really enjoyed talking and listening with the other ladies about, you know, like, the things they were going through and what they said I could, like, apply to my situation. And I just, I enjoyed that group dynamic.
Yeah. Yeah. That's— I've talked to a few, done a few of these interviews, and that is the running theme. That group dynamic was so incredible. So what would you say was your biggest takeaway or your biggest win from being a part of the 8-week group?
Well, I, my biggest win was that, um, while I was going through the, you know, going through the new job and everything, getting adjusted for my first year, um, I was really kind of critical of myself and the self-talk that I was doing really kind of was not helping my self-esteem and my confidence and In the group, we talked a lot about that, like our mindset and being able to shift our mindset and a growth mindset. And it really kind of helped me realize that, yes, I was going through that adjustment, um, because the job was harder than I thought it was going to be, um, for the first year. But I also had an aha moment because I ultimately left that position for another position. Um. And it actually helped me realize that even though my confidence was kind of rocked in a way, um, I actually took the steps I needed, um, and had the self-confidence to do that when before I was kind of second-guessing myself. And, um, so I, I felt like, no, I took control of the situation and I knew it wasn't right for me. And so I knew What I needed to do to change it, and I'm much happier now.
Yeah. So that aha moment was validating that you did something that was good, that was a confident move, that was supporting who you are and what you needed. That's great.
Right. And once I realized that, I was like, no, I stood up for myself. I had the self-confidence to change something that I knew Needed to change. And, um, you know, now I, I'm in a different position and much happier.
Yeah, that's so incredible. I love that about— for you, just that, yeah, it's sometimes we forget to celebrate these, these small shifts or big shifts, and they make a difference in our confidence for sure. So when you think about your favorite part of the group, what would you say was your favorite part?
I really like the group support from the ladies and being able to talk and hear about like what other ladies are listening to. And some of us were in like different parts and different seasons. So, you know, we were able to help them and then they were able to help us, you know, that were maybe a little more seasoned. But it was nice to, to listen and support each other. It was, you know, it's just an 8-week group, but, um, I felt like we were able to kind of connect and, and help each other.
Yeah, it was— I loved that you guys were able in such a short time to still be able to feel safe to be vulnerable and share things that you guys were experiencing and processing. So it was really incredible.
Yeah, I enjoyed it. I, you know, um, I think I would have liked it to go on because you kind of gel You know, takes a little bit of time, but I enjoyed it.
Maybe in the future I'll have to have some sort of ongoing group.
Yeah, like part 2. Yeah.
Well, if someone was thinking about becoming a part of the BU Be Confident group, but they're sitting on the fence, what would you say to encourage them about that?
Well, I felt like it was very, very affordable, um, because, uh, individualized Counseling can be very expensive. Um, but I also felt like it kind of got to the heart of the matter, um, where I was struggling with self-confidence, and that's what we were talking about, and that was our focus.
Well, thank you again. Thanks for, um, trusting me a second time to work alongside of you and for just coming here today to share with others about your experience. I really appreciate it.
