Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Remy Gordon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Remy, thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

I have had many defining moments in my life. I think back to the two main things in my life career wise; my private practice as a mental health therapist and my nonprofit helping serve people experiencing homelessness. I grew up always wanting to be a teacher; I knew that I wanted to work with children and help the youth so naturally, teaching seemed to be the best option. I taught for several years as an elementary school teacher and really enjoyed my time in the classroom but I felt something was missing. There was several instances in the classroom where I felt that I was not trained on how to handle them appropriately. For example, I had a child in my kindergarten classroom who was severely beaten at home and was afraid to express the abuse. I decided to take a break from teaching and ended up going to graduate school at WashU in St. Louis for my Masters in Social Work where I created a personalized concentration combing mental health and children, youth and families. I believe that every person could benefit from therapy. I know that personally, therapy helped me out in some of my darkest moments in life.

As for my nonprofit, Seeking Shelter Inc., I have been doing extensive research into the homeless population for many years now. It has become a passion of mine. One night while grocery shopping in graduate school, a young woman with her one year old daughter approached me asking for money. This woman explained that she had nowhere to go and didn’t want to sleep on the streets with her young daughter. I spent two hours that night calling all around St. Louis to find a shelter that would take this woman and her daughter. It was from this experience that Seeking Shelter originated. Had there been an easier method for this woman to find out what shelters are nearby and which were available, she could’ve found one on her own. I have created guides for people experiencing homelessness and provide them with resources, hygiene products, food, essentials and more.

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

As for my therapy work; I have been practicing therapy in various settings including the school system, in home therapy, assertive community treatment team, psychiatric unit in hospitals, homeless shelter for adolescents and in private practice. Prior to becoming a therapist, I was an elementary school teacher. As a teacher, I witnessed many challenges that children face throughout the day.

My love for therapy began at a young age. I always loved helping and listening to other people. Being a therapist is more than a job to me- it is a part of me. We all face moments in life in which we experience difficulties at home, school, work, or in relationships; seeking support for yourself and/or your children during these times demonstrates a choice of strength. My experience includes but is not limited to working with issues such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, relationships, family conflicts, trauma, self-harm, suicidal ideation, school issues, stress, self-esteem, addiction, behavioral challenges and personality disorders.

My goal is to provide a comfortable environment for you to feel safe and validated as you create a lasting change in your life. My approach is tailored to each person’s unique needs using an integrated therapeutic approach. I utilize various therapeutic modalities include traditional talk therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Recovery Oriented (CT-R), Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Play Therapy.

I want to help you live the life you have always dreamed of and/or provide your child with the best opportunities to continue growing healthy. I understand that life can get difficult, and sometimes a little help from a professional therapist can make things better. I care about your well-being and will provide you with all the tools you need in order to seize the day and learn how to tackle even the most traumatic circumstances.

As for my nonprofit, Seeking Shelter Inc., I continue to spread awareness and help people understand the causes and factors that play into people experiencing homelessness. I create “goodie bags” that include a positive message, list of resources in the community, healthy food items, and personal hygiene products. I enter the neighborhoods of the people experiencing homelessness and hand out my goodie bags while getting to know them, listening and hearing their stories. I learn about the struggles that they have faced and treat them with dignity and respect. I make sure that they feel heard and loved.

Since creating Seeking Shelter Inc, I have had a dream of opening Charlie’s House, a multi service shelter for the transition aged youth between 16 and 24 years old. Did you know that 33% of children in the foster-care system become homeless on their 18th birthday when they ‘age-out”? There is a huge gap and need for a transitional programing here in Miami-Dade County.

The goal of Charlie’s Housewill be to provide the youth with a safe shelter, nutritious meals, case management, trauma informed counseling, life skills, job readiness and preparation classes, housing assistance, and medical and behavior health screenings and services.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Understanding, empathy and compassion. I started seeing a therapist when I was a sophomore in high school to help me deal with anxious behaviors. I remember my first appointment, I was terrified and thought something was seriously wrong with me that I had to talk to a therapist about my “problems”. Over the years, I have continued working with the same therapist on and off. She has helped me through some of the darkest moments in my life. I think that it is important to recognize that I am human and I understand what it is like to suffer. I can relate. I am a therapist and a client. I am honored to do this work but also need a beak. I am needed but I also have needs. I think there is such a stigma behind receiving mental health therapy but in reality, it should be just as normal as seeing a doctor when you break a bone. There is nothing wrong with seeking help.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

There was a time where I was handing out personal hygiene bags to people experiencing homelessness. I asked a person if they preferred a female or male bag- the main difference being that the female bags offer feminine hygiene products (tampons and pads). The person was born a male but identified as a female and thus she asked for a female bag. She proceeded to open up the bag and see the items and became furious. She punched me and yelled some awful names at me. Instead of taking it person, I recognized she was likely suffering from some sort of mental health issues that was untreated and/or using substances. Instead of avoiding her and avoiding going back to the street she was located on, I continued to see her and continued offering her assistance. I did not let that instance scare me off.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.remygordonlcsw.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remygordonlcsw/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/remymgordon/
• Other: Seeking Shelter Links: https://www.seekingshelter.net https://www.instagram.com/seekingshelter24/