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

Alright, Avriele thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

My defining moment was during Covid. The world shut down and I was forced to work from home. I started work as a school based therapist for a company that I previously worked for but in a different county. Therefore, I knew what to expect or so I thought. I was looking forward to this journey however due to Covid I was met with many different challenges. As a school based therapist. Your role is to be present at the school so that you can meet with students and communicate with administration staff. However, that was not the case this time around because schools were closed due to Covid. Working with kids as young as 5 and 6 can be challenging but even more challenging when your first interaction with them is via a computer screen. During this time I wanted to give up on my career as a therapist. I was no longer determined or interested and felt very overwhelmed. I was also pregnant with my first child. So I decided it was best for my mental health to take a break from the career that I once loved. I enjoyed every minute I was able to spend with my baby girl during this break. But I knew, I had to figure out my next move to provide a better life for my daughter. I was 100% sure counseling was my passion but in what other ways could I fulfill my passion without being in the school setting. I was led to private practice. And it has been the best decision I could have made for my career growth. I just celebrated my one year anniversary this month. I feel driven, motivated and excited about the work I do and the services I am able to provide to others.

Avriele , 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 mental health therapist in the state of Tennessee. I work with clients starting at the age of 16 to help with life transitions, stress, anxiety, depression, relation issues, postpartum depression and so much more. As a therapist it is important for me to meet my client where they are. I show up as my authentic self and we work as a team to help reach any goals they have set.

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

Good question. If we are being honest becoming a therapist was not my first choice when choosing my profession. As a young girl, I dreamed of being a nurse. This was the only career I saw in my future. I always had a passion for helping others. Well college came and I unfortunately was not able to start nursing school as I had planned for so many years. At the time I had to make a hard decision about changing my major or sitting out of college for a year and attempting to apply for nursing school the following year. After deep consideration, I landed on changing my major to psychology. Which is an area I became interested in my senior year of high school. My plan was to finish with my undergraduate degree and start nursing school after graduation. Graduation came and went and I was finally close to creating my dream of becoming a nurse. I was accepted into an accelerated nursing program. However, I was not able to attend due to utilizing all of my financial aid for my undergrad degree. I felt so defeated and had no idea what I would do next. It wasn’t until a few years later that I made the decision to get my masters in clinical mental health counseling. During the program I felt so fulfilled. I felt as if this is where I am supposed to be. So if I had to choose the same profession. I would in a heartbeat. I would have actually chosen this profession earlier on. But I cherish the journey that led me here.

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

Honestly being yourself. We all see how therapists are portrayed on television. Client sits on the couch, the therapist sits in their chair with a pen and notepad in hand. Don’t get me wrong, nothing is wrong with this method. However it could come across as being intimidating or make a person feel they are being judged. It is key to be yourself. Bring your personality to the session. Allow your clients to see and feel you are human as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/avriele

Image Credits
Shot by Cee Chanitra Dreher