We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mandii Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mandii, thanks for joining us today. Let’s go back in time to when you were an intern or apprentice – what’s an interesting story you can share from that stage of your career?

Reflecting on my time as a mental health master level intern, I encountered a significant challenge that ultimately became a profound learning experience. When I first joined a private practice for my practicum, I was enthusiastic and eager to learn. However, I inadvertently started a few weeks earlier than scheduled and was unfamiliar with some of the required methodologies. Rather than providing guidance and support, my supervisor dismissed me without notice or explanation, leaving me bewildered and questioning my abilities. It wasn’t until my professor clarified the situation that I understood the missteps.
Transitioning to a new practicum, I initially felt a strong connection with the environment, especially appreciating that it was a Black-owned, affirming space. But over time, my enthusiasm waned as I struggled with inconsistent client engagement and felt a lack of substantial learning opportunities that could foster my professional growth.
However, the true turning point came during my internship, where I met a supervisor who had experienced similar challenges during her own licensure process. Her understanding and empathetic approach made a significant impact on me. She was genuinely invested in my personal and professional development, and her mentorship was invaluable. Through her guidance, I discovered my passion for community-based work, particularly within contexts involving justice-impacted populations and domestic violence.

This journey, though filled with ups and downs, taught me the importance of supportive, knowledgeable mentorship in nurturing a fledgling career. It underscored the critical role that empathy and understanding play in leadership. These experiences not only shaped my approach to counseling but also informed my leadership style, emphasizing the need for patience, compassion, and active support in developing future professionals.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Well, in addition to founding The Relatable Counselor LLC, I am also proud to be the creator of “Well What Had Happened Was” (WWHHW), a storytelling platform dedicated to mental health. This website, available at www.wellwhhw.com, was born from the idea that sharing and hearing stories about mental health struggles and triumphs can be incredibly powerful and healing. “Well What Had Happened Was” serves as a safe space for individuals to share their experiences with mental health in an authentic and uncensored form, helping to shed light on the real stories behind the struggles many face.

The inspiration behind WWHHW came from my personal and professional encounters with mental health issues. Recognizing that each person’s journey is filled with unique challenges and insights, I wanted to create a platform where these stories could be heard and appreciated. Storytelling is not only therapeutic for the storyteller but also illuminating and supportive for listeners and readers. It helps to know you’re not alone in your experiences and that others have navigated similar paths of hardship and recovery.

WWHHW is more than just a website; it’s a community initiative aimed at breaking the stigma associated with talking about mental health. By opening up discussions and sharing diverse experiences, the platform fosters a greater understanding of mental health issues, encourages empathy, and builds a supportive community. We invite everyone, regardless of their background or experiences with mental health, to contribute and engage with the stories shared on WWHHW. It is a testament to the strength, resilience, and enduring spirit of those who have faced mental health challenges.

I am immensely proud of the impact “Well What Had Happened Was” has already made and excited about its future contributions to the mental health community. Whether you are seeking to share your story or learn from the experiences of others, WWHHW is a valuable resource that underscores the power of shared narratives in fostering healing and understanding.

I invite you to visit www.wellwhhw.com AND our new YouTube Channel “The Thinking Corner”, to explore the stories and perhaps find the courage to share your own. Together, through The Relatable Counselor and WWHHW, we are building a more informed, empathetic, and supportive world—one story at a time.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Being genuine and transparent in our approach has significantly contributed to building a strong reputation. I share my own stories and struggles, which not only makes me more relatable but also helps break down the stigma associated with mental health challenges. This openness fosters a deeper connection with the client community. Additionally, contributing articles, participating in mental health discussions, and conducting workshops have established me as a thought leader in the field. This not only broadens our reach but also reinforces our credibility.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One significant lesson I had to unlearn was the notion that as a professional in the mental health field, my own experiences of trauma were uniquely shameful or not fit to be shared openly. Early in my career, I struggled with the false belief that to maintain professionalism, I had to keep my personal challenges hidden (at least up to ACA ethical standards) , as if they were a mark of weakness or incompetence.
The backstory to this revolves around my own journey through intense personal challenges, including dealing with postpartum depression and surviving domestic abuse. Initially, I felt that these experiences were solely personal hurdles and feared that sharing them would undermine my credibility as a mental health professional. I believed I needed to present a polished, unaffected facade to be taken seriously and to effectively support others.

However, this belief began to shift as I engaged more deeply with my clients and the mental health community. I realized that the very experiences I was hiding were the ones that deeply resonated with others. Being open about my own struggles not only did not reduce my professionalism but actually enhanced my relatability and the trust my clients placed in me. It underscored the fact that trauma and challenges do not discriminate by professional status and that everyone, regardless of their role, can experience profound personal difficulties.
Unlearning this misconception was liberating and transformative. It allowed me to embrace my full self in my professional role and use my experiences as powerful tools for connection and healing. This shift in perspective has been integral not only to my personal healing but also to how effectively I can guide others through their healing processes. It reinforced the idea that every test and less is a potential testimony, not a source of shame, reminding me that our scars, when shared honestly, can light the path of healing for others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.therelatablecounselor.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_relatable_counselor
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@therelatablecounselor