Mental health is too often something that goes overlooked or unaddressed, especially in communities of color. When I first started considering going to therapy, I didn’t know what to expect. Mental health was never something that was discussed in my family and I didn’t know anyone that had gone through therapy before. The benefits that therapy had on myself was immense. I encouraged family to start talking to someone, and my experience guided me towards my current journey of becoming a mental health therapist. There are many reasons as to why people of color don’t receive mental health care at the same rates that their white counterparts do. Most research and surveys find that costs, stigma, and a lack of diversity in the field are the major components to this trend. When I began working with a therapist who was a black woman, I felt like I found someone who would understand the nuances of my experiences without me having to do extra explaining or tip-toeing around certain parts of my life. Being able to address mental health with someone that looks like you and has shared experiences or culture can make a difference. I want to own my own practice and plan to employ other therapists of color, use sliding fees, and offer virtual services to support, encourage, and foster mental health care that communities of color deserve.

Mental health is like soil. Healthy soil nurtures a flower's growth the same way good mental health nurtures a person's development. My own experience through depression and anxiety showed me how true this sentiment is, and drove my desire to become a licensed mental health therapist. I don’t think I fully understood how important mental health is to me until I began my own mental health journey. It’s incredibly difficult to move forward from hardship and live a fulfilling life when it feels like your mind is working against you. When I think back to when those feelings of depression and anxiety were so intertwined with my sense of self, I’m reminded of the limiting beliefs I constantly carried. Thoughts of “people wouldn’t like me if they really knew me,” “I’m not good enough,” or “things will never get better” ran circles in my head. These beliefs that I held about myself stopped me from taking risks, making new potential connections, and understanding who I was and where I wanted to go in life. I chose “safe” options: pursuing the same field that most of my family already worked in; declining invitations to social events out of fear that I would feel out of place; and trying to hold onto friendships and relationships that were not serving me. Since improving my mental health I’ve been able to learn who my authentic self is and live my life accordingly, which has been freeing. Because of the work that I put in during years of therapy, I was able to move out of my hometown, build meaningful connections, and take the leap to pursue what I know will be a fulfilling career change. Mental health is important to me because without taking care of myself and my mind, I know that there’s a great chance I wouldn’t have the life that I do now. It's life that I am incredibly grateful for. When we take care of our minds, things seem to naturally fall into place and the way we view the world is less cloudy. Maintaining my mental health is a top priority of mine. Understanding the reasons behind why certain situations may trigger difficult emotions has made processing the way I’m feeling easier. I still attend therapy regularly, journal, and practice gratitude exercises. Through my mental health journey, I’ve become more in tune with my spirituality. Having trust in the Universe has been key for my mental health and has helped me maintain and continue to grow mentally and personally. Ensuring that I give myself grace when things are difficult or if I make a mistake, and honoring my emotions when I feel them has also been imperative in maintaining my mental health. With the support system that I am lucky enough to have, I know that I don’t have to struggle alone. It’s my hope that in the near future I’m able to be that kind of support for someone forging their own mental health journey and blossoming into the person they were meant to be.

Complacency is easy. As someone who, for a long time, deemed the borders of my comfort zone as absolute, complacency became close to second nature. That isn’t to say that my standards were low or my efforts baron. But for some odd reason, the idea of looking inward, trying for what I wanted, and succeeding appeared more dangerous than my perceived safety of not trying at all. Eventually, enough around and within me changed. My comfort zone had become a pit of quick sand full of big choices made in haste, old opportunities I chose not to take, and current problems I couldn’t run from. I was forced to look inward and reckon with the fact that perhaps my choices coupled with a lack of personal accountability contributed to a mounting feeling of dissatisfaction. I understood then that I had more control over my life and my path than I let myself believe. If I closed my eyes I envisioned a successful life that I worked hard for and earned. I currently am a passionate mental health professional who feels a spark of joy when I see students I work with have an “aha” moment about themselves, or tell me that a strategy to reduce anxiety worked on a morning where they felt too overwhelmed to come to school. When I think about my future, it includes a successful therapy private practice of my own. It’s a life and career that makes me excited to get out of bed in the morning. It’s something that I feel a deep desire to bring to fruition. No amount of waiting or hoping alone is going to make that happen. To me, accountability is honing in on a goal or a dream and making decisions that move towards it with intention. Showing up for myself every day, putting forth my best efforts at my current job, and keeping focused on my big picture goal is how I’ve learned to hold myself accountable. This critical step one: continuing my higher education to become a licensed therapist, along with every step afterwards, is a personal promise. A promise that I will continue to push myself, take accountability for both my wins and losses, and show up for myself the way that I deserve. Since I’ve taken the reins on my future and embraced personal accountability, I’ve noticed that my wins mean more because they are wins I got because I told myself I would. It was me who put in the work to make things happen. I’ve found success and continue finding success through personal accountability because I’m now doing more than going through the motions. I take the extra step to stay organized, ask questions when I need or want to, put first things first, and have become a more well rounded, authentic, and motivated individual and professional because of it. Yes, complacency is easy. But with a clear goal, a vision of my future, and a personal promise to invest in myself and my happiness, I’ve come to learn that accountability can be easy, and rather rewarding, too. By embracing accountability, I have cultivated a deeper sense of purpose and direction within my life. I’m excited to continue along this path, knowing that this commitment to accountability will push me towards achieving my dream of being a licensed therapist.