Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tiarra Abu-Bakr. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Tiarra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
I was raised by a single parent, my mother. I was one of nine children, I am the third oldest. Now that I am fully immersed in my journey as a parent, I often think about the hardships and the sacrifice that was required to raise nine children. There are so many things that my mother did right but if I was forced to chose one, I would say that I utterly grateful for the fact that she trusted me with myself. Allow me to explain. I have heard a lot of stories about children that were forced to live the life their parents mapped out for them. That was not my experience. At a very young age, my mother started to trust me with mapping out my life. While, I made a ton of mistakes and wrong turns I appreciate the fact that I was giving the space to discovery myself on my own terms. Whenever I said I wanted to accomplish something or I was going to do something, there was very little resistance. Because of that, I trust myself enough to parent my children in a way that allows them to explore the world on their terms.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Greetings! I am Tiarra Abu -Bakr. I am an Author, Clinical Holistic Mental Health Therapist and the owner of True Self Holistic Therapy. I teach people how to intentionally practice Self Discovery and Self Prioritization as a strategy to create mental wellness. I provide psychotherapy, infused with holistic practices like reiki, meditation, breathwork, yoga, and chakra alignment. I practice holistic wellness as a way of living because I personally experienced significant trauma as a child. I know the severe impacts trauma can have on every aspect of a persons being. Trauma can literally shorten our lifespan. Therefore, I strive daily to breathe deeply and heal myself.
I am proud of myself for choosing to Thrive and not just exist. I believe in my power to create the life of my dreams. I am proud of myself for my ability to hold space for others as they work through some really heavy feelings and move towards discovering the essence of who they are.
As a therapist, I recognize that I have a ton of training and so many certifications but I am very clear about the fact that I am only the expert of discovering myself. At True Self Holistic Therapy, we pride ourselves on being a safe space for others to unpack their trauma and become the expert in their life. This is what I was created to do.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
If there was a theme that embodied my journey of becoming a therapist, it would be resilience. I was raised in an environment where attending college was not an option for many of us. In fact, it felt like something that was unattainable. With no clear guidance and very little belief, I sat my sights on attending college and doing something of substance with my life. I knew that I wanted to overcome the trauma I experienced and I deeply desired to assist others.
There were so many trials and tribulations that I had to endure as a college student. I had no idea how to navigate financial aid, I had no resources to support myself. At times, my friends would assist me with meals. I worked full time just to pay my tuition and that limited my time to study and focus which led to academic probation. Academic probation led to being dismissed from school in my sophomore year. At that time, my dreams and goals felt so far away.
But there has always been a very small voice in my head encouraging me to keep going.
My faith always provided strength and resilience. With every trial, I had just enough power within me to keep pushing through undergraduate to graduate to now owning a private practice.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
When asked the million dollar question as a child, “What do you want to be when you grow up”? My answer was always a pediatrician. Once reality set in about the requirements for that field, I choose to pivot. Then I thought I would be perfect for the police force and I would still be of service to people. I took that test and failed. I was devastated and struggling with discovering my purpose in this world.
I ended up getting a job as a domestic violence advocate and I served in that capacity for many years. Eventually, burn out took over and I found myself saddened by the fact that I was serving the same clients multiple times a year. They were not healing and we were just placing a band-aid over their wounds. That is how therapy and I found each other. I wanted to be able to teach people how to heal themselves and how to move through challenges in a way that allowed them to put the pieces back together.
I love that working in this capacity allows me to see people in their lowest states and I get to witness them evolving. I would absolutely choose this same profession over and over again. It reminds me of the complexity and beauty of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.trueselfholistictherapy.com
- Instagram: @tiarraabubakr
- Facebook: @tiarraabubakr
- Linkedin: @tiarraabubakr
- Twitter: @tiarraabubakr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theboujieherbalist