We were lucky to catch up with Camecia Clark recently and have shared our conversation below.

Camecia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

I opened the doors of my private practice in March of 2019 amid COVID. When opening my private practice it was very scary crossing over from clinician to owner of a business. The key challenges were finding location, and getting credentialed with insurance panels. There were several key challenges in opening a private practice such a taking insurance vs self-pay. I got into therapy to help people who looked like me get the treatment that they needed. I decided to take insurance because working class people need affordable, effective and quality treatment. But the biggest challenge was COVID and face to face therapy transitioning to Telehealth which was new to everyone. Knowing what I know now there is nothing I would have changed throughout my journey to starting my private practice. Those growing pains allowed me learn information to pass to other clinicians. Advice I would give new clinicians: 1.Do it your way, don’t worry about the next clinician make your own path. Don’t be scared to think outside the box therapy is not one dimensional.
2. Pace yourself don’t try to do it all at once. Serve your client and serve them well
3. Don’t be to take the leap and invest in yourself., Win or Learn is your only option.
4. Know your strengths, abilities and develop your niche.
5. SELF-CARE CELF CARE as therapist make sure you do self checkups.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

How did you get into your business: My little sister was molested by my uncle and it open up pandora’s box and it was revealed that some many women on my mother’s side had encounter sexual molestation through family members but it was swept under the rug or dismissed because it was family and it should be keep in house never to be dealt with. This made me want to go to school for psychology to understand why my family was so messed up, but upon going to school, I discovered that so many black families encountered this behavior and that it wasn’t just exclusive to just my family. With that being said it still took some time for me to really accept that becoming a therapist and helping people heal from the pain they had endured was a gift from God. I ran from this calling for years but no matter what God would order my steps and put me right where he wanted me to be.

What services you provide: I chose to provide affordable, quality mental health services to African American clients who fear going to therapy out of being stigmatized and made to feel weak for doing so. I provide a therapeutic, relaxed, humorous, non-judgmental and confidential atmosphere that allows my clients to explore their feelings, belief s and behaviors.

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients to know about you:
Thought this journey I am proud of three things my Children’s book “Am I next”, and a book I had a pleasure of being the a co-Author of “Women by Motivated by Purpose” both books are available on amazon, eBay and barnes and Nobles. The third is my Girls group Serenity’s Crown that I is my pride and joy. This group caters to young black women ages 8-18yo. These groups teach young ladies to embrace themselves and feel empowered. Our young ladies are looking at what is portrayed on social media and believing that is how they should portray themselves. The groups will help girls in achieving the direction, identity, and critical consciousness that leads to positive self-esteem, healthy relationships, greater ethnic pride, and higher expectations for future accomplishments.

My goal is to continue to provide mental heath/psychoeducation services to the black community. To let them know that there is nothing wrong with seeking therapy, you can pray and go to therapy. My plan is to educate more black people on the importance of going to therapy. During my last interview I told you guys that I planned to open a group price and I did. I recently hired 3 amazing therapist who help along our journey to break the stigma of mental illness and heal our community. #blackmentalhealthmatters

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

It hasn’t been a smooth road but it was a road worth taking. On my journey to obtaining my license I passed the NCE exam on my first try but six weeks after taking the test and the day my scores arrived. I was kicked out of school because of allegations of cheating on the NCE exam from other students at the testing site. I’m going to keep my comments to myself in regards to the race of these other students as well as the teachers who kicked me out of school with no evidence just hearsay. It took me a year to take the test again and during this year, I was very depressed even considered giving up on therapy all together. But reading Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you an expected end. I went and took my test again and BOOM I passed it again! Once that happen it was all up hill from that point.

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

If I could go back I would most definitely choose the same profession over 10x’s. Black mental health professionals make up 1% of the population which does a disservice to those wanting therapy and discouraging. We want to see therapist that look like us and understand our stuff. Working in Psych ERs I have seen black people be treated differently and receive different care from their counterparts. Which is what lead me to start my own practice because I wanted be apart of solution.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.visionsofserenitycounseling.com
• Instagram: serenity_counseling_services
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/serenity-counseling-services-houston-tx/731120

Image Credits
none