My Road to Becoming a Therapist
I think it’s important to know a bit about your therapist, in order to connect and truly know if it’s a good fit. I’ll start with what led me to psychology in the first place. My very first psych 101 class was taken at a local community college. I distinctly recall being fascinated with the precise science used to entice shoppers — things like grocery stores playing specific music or wafting smells from bakery vents into the parking lot. I was so intrigued by the human mind, and I knew that learning more about the mind could be an endless adventure of discoveries.
Shawnte, smiling with a wall of vines in the background.
During this time, I was actually a creative writing major, dabbling in photography. I desperately wanted to be an artist, but I was young. Everyone and everything around me questioned if artistry was a practical route to success.
Eventually I made my way to university, changing majors more than once before I found purpose studying psychology. It was here where I began more specialized courses that led to a deeper reverence for the marvelous complexities of the human mind and the disorders that can afflict it.
My formal educational journey began at Coastal Carolina University, where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. After my undergraduate studies, I wasn’t quite sure what to do. If I’m being honest, I never really had a concrete plan–I went to college because it seemed like the right thing to do. After undergrad, I entered the workforce, obtaining a mental health support position at an inpatient psychiatric facility. This work helped me to realize that I was called to help people in a more personalized, holistic capacity.
I later obtained a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Counseling from The Citadel, and am currently a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of South Carolina. During graduate studies, I gained invaluable experience while working as an intern and practicum student. Over this time, I worked at an inpatient substance abuse treatment facility, as well as a college counseling center. These experiences led me to discover my passion and enjoyment for working with young adult and substance use clients. In addition to the expected experience I gained, I was also thrust into the field amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This global shift was stressful, but I am grateful for all the ways that this period challenged and changed my practical knowledge as a therapist.
My time at the Citadel taught me a considerable amount about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and I was able to obtain extensive training in Motivational Interviewing (MI) while working in the research department at the Department of Veterans Affairs. This clinical research training taught me a great deal about delivering evidence-based treatments to participants in alignment with rigorous research protocols. It was an amazing experience that significantly expanded my breath of knowledge.
Most recently, I have completed phases 1 and 2 of Brainspotting. Both courses were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) trainings with emphasis on cultural competence. Additionally, I continue to proactively invest in my continued education through webinars, conferences, and academic literature.
I am proud to say that, despite uncertainty, through intention, I have remained in control of my destiny. I share this to not only give more insights into my experiences, but also because I think it’s important to that you know more about your therapist to help decide if I’ll be a good fit for your journey. We all have our own experiences, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, but in many ways, we are all the same.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me. For those that may not be sure about taking the next step, thank you for trusting yourself to know what you need.
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