We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. April Givens. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. April below.

Dr. April, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s go back in time to when you were an intern or apprentice – what’s an interesting story you can share from that stage of your career?

When I first started as an intern in 2011 I worked at a domestic violence shelter answering calls on the hotline and screening who would be admitted into the shelter. Once admitted, I provided individual counseling and group sessions to the ladies. This experience was heartwarming because I remember having to fight back tears when the ladies would enter the shelter and sit down with me to tell their story. This really shaped my experiences moving forward in the counseling field. I learned about protective orders and restraining orders from this work. I learned about the many resources available and connected the ladies to them. I would pick up donations of clothing and makeup for the ladies and allowed them to choose what they wanted. They were excited to see me come to work because I always allowed them to pick out items from the donations that would come in. Seeing women coming into the shelter sometimes at midnight with their children and badly beaten was heartbreaking, and all I wanted to do was help them feel better, heal, and move forward. I would love to see the ladies who left the shelter and received housing, start work, and pick up the pieces. It was inspiring to see them take their power back. This work started me on my path to empowerment and motivating others.

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

I was born in Dallas, TX and grew up in Alexandria, LA. with my mom. I received my Bachelors of Science Degree in Biology from the University of LA at Monroe. I decided to go into counseling after taking a histology class in undergraduate and couldn’t dissect a live rat. The professor had to come over to my group and cut open the rat for us. My major was Biology pre-med and I was on track to go to medical school and after that class, I reconsidered whether I could actually work on cadavers. Fast forward went on to finish my Masters in mental health counseling, then PhD four years later in counseling and human services. I am the CEO of Urban Counseling Clique a 501c3 nonprofit group mental health practice. I provide individual counseling to teens and adults, couples counseling, and wellness coaching to employees of large corporations. I also facilitate an anxiety and stress management group on the mentalhappy app. What sets me apart is my down to earth attitude and being able to empathize with people from all walks of life and cultures. I am most proud of the many people I have impacted in a positive way over the years. I empower and motivate my clients and I also learn alot from them. I would love people to follow me on Instagram where they can get daily motivation @dr.aprilgivens

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I think what is most helpful is meeting people where they are, understanding that everyone is different and being patient with them and their process. Marketing and branding yourself as a professional is also key to being successful in this field. If people don’t know you exist you can’t help them.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele is providing a great service. When you provide a great service and people love you they will talk about you to other people and refer people to you. Word of mouth has been one of the biggest highlights in my practice. I am also found on the Psychology Today directory which reaches a lot of people.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.urbancounselingclique.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr.aprilgivens
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/draprilgivens