We were lucky to catch up with Carrie Boone recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carrie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Taking risks has always been anxiety provoking for me. Growing up with an introverted personality, taking a risk has always been the last thing I’ve wanted to do. Lesson by lesson as I grew into womanhood, I learned that if you take no risk, sometimes you get no reward. In the winter of 2021, my life would change tremendously.

In January of 2021 I lost my dad to an awful illness ALS. This loss changed the trajectory of my grief experience. Even though I had been exposed to other losses in my life span, this one hit differently.

I learned about the power of journaling my emotions and one day some of those journal entries led into the manuscript of a memoir that I authored about the intersection between Grief and God’s grace. I took a risk and told my very personal story in my book Unbelievable Grief, Incredible Grace, a memoir. I became vulnerable and transparent to a world who I was not sure would receive or be respectful to my personal journey.

But guess what!? The world was receptive and encouraging to my story. My story also gave persons insight, reflection, information and gratitude. I took a risk! One that I would have never been able to tell my younger self that I would take.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Carrie Boone and I am a Baltimore native. I am a wife with two beautiful children. My career began after I graduated with honors from the Morgan State University School of Social Work. Growing up I always wanted to help and inspire others. Initially I thought that I was going to be a nurse but my trajectory led me down the road of clinical social work. In my field I help others in the most lowest and sometimes challenging times of their lives. A few years later, I would tap into my clinical gifts and began practicing as a psychotherapist.

I provide emotional support and psychotherapy services for the adult population. I help individuals navigate through mental health issues and discover their inner peace. What sets me apart from others is the fact that I have authored a book about my own personal grief story and one that inspires from a place of pain, then to victory.

I am most proud of the work I do as a psychotherapist because I get to help people move from places of dysfunction to mental well-being and peace. I want clients to know that your grief experience is your own and no one can tell you how long it should last or how to go thorough it. There is no road map, give yourself time and space.

Be inspired on my Instagram page: Inspirationbycarrie and Pick up a copy of Unbelievable Grief: Incredible Grace, a memoir from my website www.inspirationbycarrie.com

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

The field of Clinical Social Work and Psychotherapy are dynamic. No two days are the same. to be successful in my field you have to practice self-care. Sometimes as compassionate humans you want to help the entire world but this desire may be too unrealistic.

You must master the art of compartmentalizing so that you can manage your life and your family. Setting boundaries is crucial to being successful in this field. Take time off when you need, take a vacation at least once a year, exercise and love on you. We pour out so much to our clients and patients, and I am sure you have heard the saying that you can’t pour from an empty cup. I don’t know no other way to express how important self-care is.

To be successful in this field, it is important to know who you are as an individual. Being comfortable with your identity as a clinician helps others feel comfortable in theirs when you are taking care of them.

Be inspired!

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

I really enjoy my work. If I could go back, I would definitely choose my same profession. I say this because I tried our nursing and went as far as my first semester in nursing school, but decided that, that was not the field for me.

I would choose my same profession because it allows me to fulfil my dreams of helping and inspiring others. It allows me to add my special flair in practice and help others to elevate. Life has been a stern teacher for me, but the lessons that I have learned make me a good clinician. I am able to integrate some of my life experiences: mountains, valleys, ups and downs and gather perspective. I am then able to challenge and encourage my clients to look introspectively and elevate.

Be Inspired!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.inspirationbycarrie.com/
• Instagram: InspirationbyCarrie

Image Credits
Aisha Butler Photography