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

Azaria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

My mother was the best influence on my journey. She was tough but caring. She educated me and showed me how to find answers on my own. She was my biggest cheerleader and supported my goals. She always told me to follow my dreams and she helped me to do so. After her death, I made sure to honor her legacy by being the best version of myself. This included starting my own Wellness Business. She supported the work I was doing while working at various mental health facilities and organizations. She would tell me that I have a gift and that I needed to do something with it. So what did my mom do right? Everything!

Azaria, 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?

Hello all, I’m Azaria aka Zee. I’m the founder and owner of Zenzee Wellness Lounge. In 2015, I started my journey into the mental health field. I was coming from a public relations and advertising background and wanted a career that would fill my soul. I got my Master’s in Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling, thinking I would be a marriage counselor, but life took a different turn. I ended up working heavily with children. Surprisingly, I loved it. I worked with children predominantly until right after COVID. I ended up working for the district attorney’s office as a victim witness advocate. There I received a lot of training on domestic violence, sexual assault, and trauma. I took that experience and worked at a psychiatric hospital. Working there was truly an eye-opener to the perception of the mental health world. Working as an outpatient provider, my bosses would work with me on the treatment of my clients. In the hospital, it was about numbers and not necessarily treatment. After a year or so, I ended up working for a partial hospitalization program for women struggling with substance abuse, mental health issues, and eating disorders. I often would get in trouble for discharging my clients before their insurance authorization would end, although they were ready. It seemed to be a recurring theme throughout my journey as a clinician. I wanted my clients actually to get better, and they were after a paycheck. So after I was let go from that facility, I took time to develop Zenzee Wellness Lounge.

Zenzee Wellness Lounge is a holistic mental health and wellness center that caters to the BIPOC community, providing culturally appropriate treatment and healing services. Zenzee Wellness Lounge was born by combining my knowledge as a therapist and understanding the power of holistic healing. I curate tea blends for internal well-being, host guided meditations and sound baths for grounding and centering, and have healing circles for communal healing. I also provide 1-on-1 mental health & wellness coaching for those needing individualized services. The goal is to help heal the community and the individual. What makes Zenzee Wellness Lounge special? We are one of a kind. Most places are just therapy/ mental health treatment or a yoga studio. We are both.

Currently, we are virtual and have our in-person events in nature or at various facilities. We are looking for a place to call home. We want to be the “Starbucks” of wellness and healing. In creating Zenzee Wellness Lounge, I want the community to have a space where they can come to heal and be at peace. I have a love for helping people heal. It is my God-given purpose in life. Whether it’s from an intimate conversation about life or discussing the benefits of my teas, I am a healer.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Being in the mental health field, the one thing I think has been the most helpful in succeeding in this field is being able to listen and understand the person. I’ve seen other practitioners take what’s in the DSM-5 and make it fit the client versus the other way around. They often misdiagnose, creating a worse situation for that person and their mental health. They often dismiss what a client is explaining, especially for people of color. There are a lot of trainings on how to be culturally mindful as a practitioner, but they usually leave out the systemic triggers. Clients will tell you what you need to know in order to properly treat them. You have to be open to listen and not dismiss their experience.

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

Honestly yes. I’ve often asked myself, why didn’t I do the counseling degree from start? It took me some time to understand how my first degree in public relations and advertising has benefited me as a therapist. I learned early on public speaking and motivational interviewing. I also learned how to listen to people and see what they need. These skills are invaluable as a therapist. I’m a firm believer in going with your first thought because it’s the path you are supposed to be on. It’s ok to change your mind along the way but make sure whatever you are doing is best suited for you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ZenzeeWell.com
• Instagram: @ZenzeeWell
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZenzeeWellnessLounge
• Twitter: @ZenZeeWell
• Other: Podcast- Zen in Melanin

Image Credits

Credit: Jacory Cato