We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Shadeiyah Edwards. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Shadeiyah below.
Alright, Dr. Shadeiyah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
At Together Let’s Rise, our mission is to uplift, heal, and empower system-impacted transitional-aged youth and their families in marginalized communities. We walk alongside those affected by incarceration, trauma, and systemic oppression, offering unwavering support through mental health care, education, housing, workforce development, family reunification, and mentorship. With a compassionate, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive approach, we create pathways to stability, hope, and self-determination—helping individuals rewrite their narratives and reclaim their futures.
Born and raised in the Vermont Square neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles, I grew up surrounded by gang violence, poverty, and the painful realities of systemic injustice. As a young girl, I lost close friends to gun violence and incarceration—experiences that left a lasting impression and ignited a calling to serve those impacted by the same cycles I witnessed around me.
From a young age, I knew I wanted to be part of the solution. My passion for justice and healing led me into the mental health field, where I’ve spent over 20 years working directly with individuals navigating incarceration, trauma, and marginalization. My professional journey has included work at Men’s Central Jail, Twin Towers Correctional Facility, and Los Angeles’ Co-Occurring Disorder Court. Through this work, I have seen firsthand how empathy, cultural understanding, and consistent support can create space for healing and change.
But I also realized that lived experience and professional dedication alone weren’t enough. To truly support this population, I needed to deepen my understanding and challenge the gaps within the mental health system. That pursuit led me to higher education—earning a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Black Studies from California State University, Long Beach, followed by a Master’s in Applied Forensic Psychology and a Doctorate in Clinical and Forensic Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
My doctoral research, “A Client-Centered Approach to Train Mental Health Providers to Work with Gang-Involved Individuals,” addressed a critical gap: while gang prevention efforts are often robust, mental health professionals are rarely equipped to engage with gang-involved youth effectively. My research highlighted that many providers lacked the empathy and training needed to build trust and provide truly supportive care. Drawing from Carl Rogers’ client-centered model—particularly the Integral Model—I demonstrated that when providers are trained to recognize and understand the complex realities of gang-involved individuals, their ability to deliver compassionate, effective care increases dramatically.
My research spotlighted the intersection of gang involvement with other major challenges: early parenthood, homelessness, substance use, unemployment, and community violence. I emphasized the importance of culturally responsive, trauma-informed care that does not stigmatize, but instead uplifts.
Today, I bring my lived experience, clinical expertise, and deep-rooted compassion to my leadership at Together Let’s Rise. I believe that every young person deserves to be seen, heard, and supported—regardless of their past or where they come from.
Dr. Shadeiyah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
For those who may not have read about me before, I’m Dr. Shadeiyah Edwards—a trained clinical and forensic psychologist, mindset and business coach, speaker, and founder of both Edwards Consulting Group and Together Let’s Rise 501c3. I’m a professor of psychology at Antioch University, Pepperdine University, and Pacific Oaks College. My journey into this work began in South Central Los Angeles, where I was born and raised. I experienced firsthand the deep effects of systemic oppression, gang violence, and generational trauma. These early life experiences sparked my passion for mental health, social justice, and creating healing spaces for individuals and communities that are often overlooked.
With over 20 years of experience in the mental health field, I have worked in correctional facilities, community organizations, and court systems. I specialize in supporting women, youth, families, and justice-impacted individuals through trauma-informed, culturally responsive care. Through Edwards Consulting Group, I provide coaching, workshops, and training programs focused on entrepreneurship, parenting, mental health, emotional intelligence, and personal development. I work with individuals, schools, and corporate clients to address challenges such as substance abuse, mental health, trauma, gang involvement, stress, and communication barriers. I also help organizations develop curriculum and strategies around restorative justice, diversity, inclusion, and nonviolent crisis intervention.
What sets me apart is that I bring not only clinical and academic expertise but also real-life experience. As a single mom, I know the struggle of balancing parenting and purpose. That’s why I focus on helping women—especially mothers—transform stress into success by building sustainable paths to empowerment through education, entrepreneurship, and mindset work.
One of my proudest accomplishments is founding Together Let’s Rise, a nonprofit that serves transitional-aged youth and families impacted by incarceration, violence, and systemic challenges. We provide wraparound services including housing support, mental health care, workforce development, family reunification, and mentorship in the very communities I once called home.
Ultimately, my mission is to walk alongside others as they reclaim their narratives and build the lives they deserve. Whether I’m leading a training, coaching a parent, or speaking to a crowd, I remain committed to uplifting others through healing, education, and purpose-driven work.
If you’re seeking a professional who blends lived experience with clinical insight, and who meets people exactly where they are with empathy and expertise, I welcome you to connect with me. Together, we rise.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
When I first decided to launch my business, I knew I was stepping into a space that required not just vision, but also financial sacrifice and resourcefulness. I didn’t come from a background of generational wealth or major investors—I built everything from the ground up. The initial capital came from years of strategic saving, side projects, and reinvesting income from my work as a speaker, professor, and trainer.
As a trained clinical and forensic psychologist with academic and clinical experience, I took every opportunity to teach, consult, and train. I taught at institutions like Pepperdine University, Pacific Oaks College, Antioch University, and University of the West, and used those earnings to start laying the foundation for both Edwards Consulting Group and Together Let’s Rise, my 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Much of the startup phase was fueled by a purpose. I used my own funds to build branding, secure necessary certifications, and develop quality training content and workshops. I leaned into my network and worked tirelessly to establish credibility through results, not just titles. It wasn’t easy, but it was intentional—and I’m proud that everything I’ve built has come from a place of authenticity, hustle, and service.
Today, as a CEO, corporate trainer, professor, 2x author, and entrepreneur, I continue to draw from both my clinical expertise and lived experience to help others rise. The journey taught me that with clarity of purpose and strategic action, even the most limited resources can be transformed into something powerful.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the biggest pivots in my life came shortly after college. I had always envisioned going to law school after earning my degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach. I started a Master’s in Public Administration, thinking it was the logical next step. But a year in, I realized that program—and that path—just didn’t align with who I was becoming.
That moment of clarity led me to shift directions entirely. I chose to follow my deeper calling to work with justice-involved and trauma-impacted individuals, which brought me to The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. There, I earned both my M.A. in Applied Forensic Psychology and my Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology. It was a decision that would redefine not just my career, but my purpose.
At the same time, life was changing fast. I became pregnant in 2006 and gave birth to my son in May 2007. Shortly after, I became a single mother—and suddenly, everything I had planned for my life looked different. In 2008, when my son was just a year old, I returned to graduate school with the determination to build a future that would make both of us proud. I completed my Master’s and didn’t stop there. I went straight into the doctoral program and graduated in 2014—on time and against all odds.
There were many moments I wanted to give up. Balancing school, work, motherhood, and a difficult co-parenting relationship pushed me to my limits. There were nights filled with tears, days I questioned everything, but I kept going because my son deserved to see me succeed. He became my reason, not my excuse.
That pivot—from law school dreams to forensic psychology, from partnership to single motherhood, from uncertainty to clarity—taught me resilience in its truest form. It’s why I’m so passionate today about helping women take control of their lives through education, entrepreneurship, and healing.
Whether I’m supporting families through Together Let’s Rise, leading training through Edwards Consulting Group, or mentoring single mothers balancing careers and kids—I bring my lived experience, academic background, and heart to everything I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://drsedwards.com/ , http://www.togetherletsrise.org/
- Instagram: _dredwards, _togetherletsrise
- Facebook: Dr. Shadeiyah Edwards
- Twitter: _dredwards
