Growing up in an African American household I saw the stigma that surrounded mental health. Individuals who were often struggling with mental health or substance abuse were often labeled “crazy” or judged for their struggles. It was also often mentioned that “what goes on in this house stays in this house.” As I grew older I realized that these individuals had different traumas and challenges that contributed to their mental disorders. I didn’t want the individuals in my generation and those to come after me to ever be faced with this stigma. I always knew I wanted to help people.

However, I never knew my calling would be to be a Therapist. I fell in love with the idea of counseling for the first time in 8th grade when I joined Peer Counseling. It left such an amazing impact on me to be able to give those a listening ear as well as help those in the communities who may be going through different challenges. As I continued my education, my passion for helping others never changed. Throughout my career, I have been honored to meet some amazing people and help them through their struggles. While working primarily in Black and Brown communities I have noticed a need for quality therapy. My mission is to continue to change the stigma of mental health through education and therapy.