We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anadlu Cortes-Bowers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anadlu, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents were immigrants to the U.S. and came to this country in hopes of a better future. They never gave up on their hopes and dreams. They always made a way to make their dreams come true. Being the oldest of three other siblings, my parents never handed me down anything. If I wanted something varying from a new outfit to a new laptop, it was always something I had to earn as a result of good grades and behavior. My parents always prioritized school with me and always wanted to ensure that I’d have the best education so that I would not have to face the battles that they did when they first arrived in this country. My parents have taught me a work ethic that is not as frequently seen in this day and age with millennials; they have taught me mannerisms while working with the general public and have instilled in me the values of my faith and family.

Anadlu, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and life coach who practices in Alpharetta, GA. I am a native of New York City and had most of my education in New York. I obtained my graduate degrees in Georgia and shortly after finishing my studies, I met my husband and decided to stay in Georgia. I am the CEO and Founder of Beginning With You which is essentially the spa of your mental health. Beginning With You offers services varying from life coaching, executive functioning, cognitive-behavior therapy, life coaching, and aromatherapy. I also hold meditation sessions throughout some mornings and evenings during the week. I love educating my patients and clients for which I also have workshops throughout the year pertaining to the field of psychology. I have clients and patients that I have helped from all over the world and vary from different ages. For instance, my youngest client varies anywhere between 6 years old to 56 years old. I love helping each individual break through their limited beliefs, understanding the DNA and genetic makeup, and factors in their environment that have shaped and molded some of their extrinsic behaviors upon society. I love helping individuals problem-solve and essentially create goals for them so that they understand that step by step, they can build on a life they enjoy living. I got involved in this industry based on the silent pain and suffering amongst those near and dear to me of individuals who have a lot of potentials and instead, shelter in fear. I believe that the connection for which I have with my patients and clients sets me apart from other practitioners because, as human beings, we need that connectedness to feel like we can confide in someone else to help us through our life’s journey when it can seem so overwhelming. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. This is the message that I hope to bring to many people in today’s era because I feel that the world needs happier and kinder people.

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

As a native of New York City, growing up was not easy in the sense that my parents didn’t know much English and we lived in a neighborhood that was not the safest. In fact, growing up, my parents rented a small apartment above a restaurant and bar where there were often bar fights on the weekends and I would hear the glass bottles being broken as a result of this. The area was not ideal for raising a family. So much so that one year, right before Thanksgiving, our home got broken into by gang members that were going around and breaking into people’s homes. After all of my years of education and practice, most individuals growing up with those environmental factors, do not succeed in their education nor do they have goals to pursue. However, my parents did the best they could to always protect me and guide me in their teachings of what hard work was like, and consequently, I worked hard in school to obtain a better future. Aside from all the dangers that went on around us, I was resilient and determined about who I wanted to be. Thanks to my parents and their grand efforts, I attended a private all-girls high school in Manhattan of which due to my outstanding grades at the time, I was able to be exempted from the TACHS (Test for Admission into Catholic High School) after being in public school most of my life. I was also able to graduate from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, I marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and was placed in Honors-Legacy classes while in high school. I always dreamed of giving back to my parents everything they had ever invested in me because we overcame hardships together as a family. I was able to attend college on a full ride and attended graduate schools such as NYU, Life University, NYCC, and Capella University.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

Absolutely! If I could go back in time, I would’ve picked out Clinical Psychology from the very beginning simply because my passion for the human brain and its capacity has always been of interest to me. It amazes me how our neurology is wired from the embryo and how there are various detrimental factors that shape and impact our lives as we grow into adulthood. This is a field that when you learn more about it, you are able to discover another layer of your own- self. I love helping patients and clients peel their inner self layers and help them forgive, overcome and plan for a better way of life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beginningwithyou.org
• Instagram: beginningwithyou.nyc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beginningwithu
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anadlu-cortes-bowers-6b896422a/
• Other: Spotify Podcast: Beginning With You