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

Danine, 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 remember the early days being difficult because I often questioned my own worth and knowledge. I think I started my practice during a time in the world when people were still unsure and skeptical about the value of mental health. I can remember thinking about specific marketing strategies and wondering who would take me seriously, or who would honestly trust that I am knowledgeable, educated or trained enough to trust me with their story. Imposter syndrome was not something that was spoken about widely during the early years of me constructing my own practice, and I knew that I just felt insecure about the business aspects of my work, insecure about how the world would value me, and insecure to ask for people to pay for the services that I was providing.
I would tell a young professional that is it very important to know the business aspect of this field. I would suggest that school programs include business courses for students so that it is a learning opportunity and one that you are not trying to learn as you are also struggling to gain business in the very beginning. I also think we need to be better at helping early career psychologists learn how to value their work and feel confident about how or ways that they expect to be compensated for their skills. Asking for help and have support groups early on to bounce ideas off of one another could be extremely beneficial to reduce the isolation that sometimes comes from entrepreneurship.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Dr. Danine Dean. I’m a licensed clinical psychologist. When thinking about what brought me to psychology I have to say that I was exposed to some early childhood experiences that left me thinking about how people make decisions that impact other people, why they make those decisions, and if faced with different options would they still make those same choices.
Being an African American woman, I have found that some of my own experiences through life are shared similarly with other people who consider themselves to be culturally diverse. I have found that these experiences have helped individuals, couples, families and children feel seen and appreciated. In therapy, I find that I can address culturally complex topics and help people feel more confident about their own identity. I have been told by patients that my style allows people to feel less judged and vulnerable enough to take in new information that contributes to decreasing their symptoms or suffering. I pride myself on sharing personal experiences with patients to help them recognize and understand that what they are feeling is not uncommon. I think my ability to adapt my treatment to meet clients where they are emotionally allows for a more genuine connection which can often lead to greater awareness and clarity.
I also am proud to say that when I speak about cultural sensitivity, I am not just referring specifically to people of color any longer. I am also considering all groups. This includes people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, and the mix of people of color within the LGBTQIA+ community.” Recognizing that there are so many different ways that people integrate parts of their identity is important to acknowledge. And being able to say you are available to hear and understand all parts of people is something I am very proud of.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In the age of technology, there are endless amounts of information about mental health, therapy, advice, tools, techniques, you name it or type it, you will be able to find some amount of information about almost anything mental health related. I had to pivot and understand how this information is being used, what groups are using it, how to possibly contribute to the information already available, and to possibly help people be able to differentiate between information and support. I also had to pivot to recognize that therapy may not be for everyone so that I could still reach people and contribute to their healing process by providing thoughtful information about various aspects of mental health.

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

It’s important to be well trained and knowledgeable when becoming a psychologist, and more than that one should have warmth. Being a safe and trustworthy person for most patients is more of a priority in treatment than some people consider. Having the ability to be able to place yourself in the shoes of others, is a refined skill that comes naturally to some, but it is necessary to communicate acceptance so patients feel listened to and not judged, especially as it pertains to cultural backgrounds, religious practices, and gender or sexual identities. Moreover, psychologists should focus on their own self awareness, and get regular feedback from peers about their own experiences both in and out of therapy with patients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Drdaninedean.com
• Instagram: Dr.danine_dean
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/danine-dean-3743a1a