We recently connected with D’Anthony Harris and have shared our conversation below.

D’Anthony, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back on your career, have you ever worked with a great leader or boss? We’d love to hear about the experience and what you think made them such a great leader.

Yes, I’ve had several amazing leaders and bosses throughout my professional career. The one that stands out the most, at this point in my life, was my supervisor at the 413th Aeromedical Staging Squadron in the Air Force Reserves. Dr. Michael-Renee Godfrey. I truly believe hindsight is 20/20. I did not realize how much of an impact she had on my life until I got much further in my career. The first time I met Dr. Godfrey she was sitting at her desk facing her computer. I recall being introduced to her by another airman. She actually did not turn around (lol). I remember her saying “hello and welcome to the unit. I like is that it! The other airman nodded her head at me, which communicated now was probably not the best time to talk with her. I thought this initial interaction would characterize the relationship from this point on. I was delighted to know I was wrong. She created a journal for each of her airmen (troops). Each one of our journals had an animal on it, which represented something about our character. My journal had an eagle on it. She wrote kind words of encouragement and motivation each month. I found my journal about 7-8 years later. I have a greater appreciation for the things she had written for me. I revisit her words for encouragement and motivation today. It is rare to find a supervisor or leader that truly takes time to pour into others.

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

I am currently an officer in the United States Air Force Reserve. I have been in the Air Force for 16 years. I decided to join while attending Savannah State University. Initially, I was looking to earn more money. I honestly didn’t think I would be in so long. I have loved every moment of it! I am also the owner/CEO of Interlinked Counseling and Consulting. We currently provide Mental Health Counseling for individuals, families, children, and couples battling various mental health conditions. My service in the Air Force had a significant influence on how I built this organization. I am mission-minded when it comes to how to address the mental health needs of our communities. I do not believe one company can tackle mental health on its own. I believe mental health organizations and providers should work together to address the mental health mission. Several great things are happening at Interlinked Counseling right now. I appreciate working with Black Males. I have seen an increase in Black Males coming to therapy for support. I consider it a great privilege to help Black Males address layers of the hurt they have carried around for so long. As an African American male, I understand the stigma associated with seeing mental health professionals. I’m glad to see guys taking a more preventive approach to mental health versus reactive. We also started a women’s group called Talk Haven For Her! This group is designed for women seeking to heal, grow, and connect. Ms. Shamika Cooley LCSW leads the groups. She does a phenomenal job helping women step away from the roles and obligations of their lives and take a moment to care for themselves.

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

Mental Health professionals tend to become isolated. I find myself doing this at times. I get so busy working with people in my office that I stop going out to serve people in the community. One tool that has been helpful for me is finding a support group for therapists. I recently joined The Counseling Brothers of Atlanta group. This group involves Black Males therapists supporting each other while supporting the community. My first meeting was extraordinary because I realized that I’m not the only one thinking about how to grow my practice or whether I should take insurance or not. Support groups can normalize many things you could be experiencing as a new business owner.

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

Yes, I would have chosen the same career field. I believe I was called to this career field. I was a Business major during my undergrad. I was going to work for a fortune 500 company with a nice office in the city! That was the dream. But I’m grateful to walk with people on their healing journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: interlinkedcounseling.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interlinked_counseling/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InterlinkedCounseling
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-anthony-harris-lpc-ncc-cpcs-361405b0/