2026 Business Leaders of the Year: Larissa Darter

Larissa Darter, therapist and founder of Prosper Counseling LLC, believes in creating intentional spaces where others can heal, grow and flourish.

She says Prosper Counseling has three core values: compassionate accountability, connection and vulnerability, and grounded inclusivity.

Darter says they guide her work in the community and the therapy room.

“Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room,” she says. “It is about serving others and creating intentional, safe spaces where you feel seen, valued and heard.”

Darter has spent most of her life in Springfield and wanted to build a business that gave back by providing a faith-integrated space where individuals, couples and families can navigate anxiety, trauma, grief and life transitions.

She regularly steps out of the therapy room to speak, train and volunteer with local schools, nonprofits, businesses and ministries.

“My goal is to make mental health support normalized, relatable, and a message of hope,” she says. “Prosper Counseling, exists as a faith-integrated space where clinical excellence and compassionate care walk hand-in-hand.”

Part of her mission is to remove the stigma associated with addressing mental health.

“Whether training staff, encouraging students, speaking at a ministry event, or workshop, our goal is to normalize caring for our mental health just as we do our physical health,” she says.

Supporting mothers and creating ways for them to connect is a major passion for Darter. She directs a local group called Mom Co.

“I believe in actively cultivating spaces for women to share the highs and lows of motherhood, ensuring they have a village where they feel seen, supported, and connected,” she says. “This outreach is significant because true wellness doesn’t happen in isolation; it is formed in community.”

Darter says vulnerability is a hallmark of her work and she shared her journey into motherhood in a book called “Prosper in Motherhood.” It was an Amazon No. 1 New Release.

She offers a series of community workshops. She also engages in public speaking and writes for wellness blogs.

“As a business owner and a mom of three, I know firsthand that leadership begins within the nucleus of the family. Mothers are the grounding home base, providing the daily nurturing that allows the next generation to grow into strong leaders. When mothers thrive, entire communities flourish,” Darter says.

“Whether I am leading one-on-one in therapy, directing Mom Co., speaking to schools, businesses or faith communities, my goal is to make mental health support normalized, relatable and a message of hope,” she adds.