We were lucky to catch up with Curnesia Bogans, LMFT recently and have shared our conversation below.

Curnesia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. 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.

The journey towards becoming a licensed psychotherapist began while working a demanding corporate job. While working this corporate job, I noticed how the environment began to affect my mental and physical health. I could not continue to encourage my clients to live meaningful, healthy lives while I continued to operate within a toxic environment. It was time for me to practice what I preached.

Sunday, July 4, 2021, I made the decision to walk away from my corporate job and go full-time as a licensed therapist. At the time, I only had two consistent clients and was working for a private practice part-time. I was scared, afraid and doubtful, but I knew my mental and physical stability would continue to be at risk, had I stayed.

Two years later, that leap of faith led me to become the owner of a successful private practice. I am also the owner of an amazing candle company that inspires and encourages customers to celebrate themselves in various ways.

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

I have always been a girl from a small town with big dreams. Growing up in South Georgia, there were limited opportunities afforded to me. I have always had the determination to thrive well beyond my reach. The ability to thrive will never get old.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been able to empathize with the emotions of others and provide compassion when needed. Whether those emotions are either healthy or unhealthy, I connect with others by way of compassion. I have been the stranger that people have hour-long conversations with at random in grocery stores and malls. I have a heart for people and love to see people reach their full potential in life. There is so much beauty in that! Having these types of interactions with others led me to pursue a life that was dedicated to the work of others. The work of mental health is a career I’m grateful to serve.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist that provides therapy to couples, families and groups within the State of Georgia. I also provide therapy to individuals who would like assistance within the areas of anxiety, stress management, life transitions, self-esteem enhancements, and identity exploration. My approach to therapy is non-traditional and far from various clichés that many assume of the therapeutic experience. I do not enter a room with the need to “be a therapist” and ask tons of questions to make clients feel as though they are under interrogation. My approach to therapy is centered around conversation and collaboration between both therapist and client.

I believe in authenticity and transparency, just as I would outside of therapy. I believe that clients are the expert of their own experiences. I refer to the process of therapy as a GPS. I provide the maps and alternative routes to life’s circumstances, while the client determines the route and direction of how they will arrive at their destination as the driver. We travel the healing journey together.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The journey I have taken has not been easy. While earning my master’s degree, a two-year program turned into a four-year program. I went through a series of life transitions during this process. The first of which was me having major surgery. The procedure was called a myomectomy, which is the removal of fibroids within the wall of a uterus. This surgery came with risks of infection, death, excessive bleeding and the potential of an early hysterectomy, prior to me having kids. With significant recovery time, thankfully, the surgery went well.

Later that year, I married my amazing husband. We decided to have a destination wedding which came with its own set of obstacles such as planning, purchasing and preparing to become a wife. Anyone who has ever planned a wedding knows that this is a major task and can get quite challenging. Shortly after our wedding, I was pregnant with what could only be considered a miracle baby. During my first trimester, I was working a toxic job within a toxic environment, fulfilling my academic requirements for school and seeing therapy clients. The program was not created for non-traditional students with full-time jobs. My days consisted of early mornings and late nights all while tackling morning sickness and first trimester blues.

While four months pregnant, I went in for a regular doctor’s visit that landed me a 48-hour stay in the hospital. I wasn’t producing enough amniotic fluid for the baby to survive so the doctors had to monitor me very closely. Weekly visits to both a neonatologist and an obstetrician is what followed thereafter. I was placed on emergency bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy with no medical reason as to why my child was not producing enough amniotic fluid. The best thing my doctor could advise me to do was sit still. While on bed rest, I developed gestational diabetes which came with an intense, strict diet and regulated checks on my blood glucose levels. By the grace of God, I gave birth to an amazing, healthy baby. To date, this has been the hardest journey I have ever had to face, but it has also been the most rewarding. Contributing to the betterment of my clients, as well as others that may face multiple life transitions, this experience has made me grateful for the hardships. It has also created a sense of connection to my clients that a master’s degree could not provide.

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

In addition to educational and state requirements provided to therapists, one must have a heart for people. It is quite often that people are motivated by superficial things that create distance between the work and the passion of a therapeutic career. The passion creates room for beautiful work to develop through the client/therapist relationship. Know the “why” of your work and never leave the foundation of your passion within this career.

Another vitally important factor that adds to this work is to not choose this profession to serve as a distraction to one’s own emotional and mental stability. Having an awareness and balance to your own mental health as a therapist is something that I feel is required for effective, safe work with clients. Therapists need therapy. We are human first, professionals and titles second. Choosing not to be vigilant in one’s own healing journey as a therapist can be detrimental and traumatic not only to our clients, but also to ourselves as therapists. We must be sure to do our own work within our healing journey before requiring that of others. The more focus we have on ensuring our own healing is present, the more capacity we have to invite others to heal authentically.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cbogans.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbogansmft
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbogansmft
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbogansmft
• Other: https://theinsessioncandle.com