“I spend a great deal of time focusing on ways to bring empowerment to the adults I work with.”
What was your path to becoming a therapist?
I don't come from a traditional therapy background and I relate to the stigma that people of color face when seeking therapy. After spending a number of years in corporate America, I realized I was the only person of color with a seat at the table. Understanding the need for others like myself, I found it necessary to create a space for healing.
What should someone know about working with you?
I have been featured on the online media brand Repeller (née Man Repeller) in discussing the importance of embracing “joy” in one’s own identity. My experience includes working with young to older adults in various stages of their life. Whether that includes the career-driven professional looking for self-validation, someone recently divorced in need of processing grief and loss, or are coping with low self-esteem as a result of unreconciled trauma or family rupture—there’s no population I haven’t worked with, and this is what sets me apart. My typical client is an adult striving for balance and understanding in their personal life.
What do you do to continue learning and building competencies as a provider?
I am a therapist who wants my patients to succeed. I also take this stance towards my personal well-being. It’s important that I mirror the ideas that I share with my patients in the form of self-care. I am constantly training, reading on new developments in mental health, while examining how this shapes my practice as a whole.
How do your own core values shape your approach to therapy?
There is no such thing as a therapist being a “blank slate.” I bring my entire self, present and authentic, to each session.
What are you most excited about within the evolving mental health landscape?
I am excited about connecting with more patients than ever before with telehealth.
Have you done any research-based work that you found particularly exciting? How does it inform your practice today?
I authored a research study on coping patterns, particularly paying attention to how individuals cope when under stress. Interestingly, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, education level, geographical location, religious views etc.; we all cope the same. In fact, I found that the nature of stress requires healthy coping skills in order to feel empowered. I spend a great deal of time focusing on ways to bring empowerment to the adults I work with.
“Mental health is on a continuum—always changing—and this approach helps guide adults coping with everyday stressors toward becoming their best selves.”