We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Nekeshia Hammond recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dr. Nekeshia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Whenever I think of risks that I have taken, like starting a business/private practice and delving into multiple entrepreneurial projects while balancing family life, the first thing I recall is the combination of faith and fear. I’m not going to lie, I had a LOT of fear starting my private practice back in 2009. I was terrified to start a business and felt inadequate in terms of being a “business person.” I heard so many statistics about failing businesses. At the same time, I had a lot of faith that things could work out. I took the risks because I wanted to make tremendous impact into the field of mental health. Little did I know that the patients who I have worked with, as well as audiences I have spoken to, would make such a tremendous impact on my life. Watching people’s growth has fueled me to continue to take risks to help others. Even though there have been times along the way that I have felt like giving up on different goals, I stick by my motto to “Keep Going. Keep Growing.”

Dr. Nekeshia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Personal growth and mental health prevention efforts have been my focus areas in the field. I started my mental health private practice in 2009, and I conduct psychological evaluations to examine different mental health conditions that may be affecting someone (like ADHD, depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities). Through psychological evaluations, often times children, teens, and adults can receive more in-depth knowledge about what symptoms can mean for them and how to best treat the issue.

I also speak to various groups around the country about children’s mental health, self-care, and stress management issues, to work on reducing the stigma of mental health. Recently, I was able to give my first Tedx talk on children’s mental health, and I’m still excited about being able to share how the community can help our youth with that platform!

Other work that I have found very valuable is serving on the Board of Directors of various non-profits and being active in community endeavors. I currently serve as the Chair of the Ryan Nece Foundation, whose mission is “to create opportunities for teens to embrace the Power of Giving through volunteerism and inspirational leadership programs.” It has also been a complete honor to serve as President of the Florida Psychological Association and Chair of Rising Media Stars in the past couple of years.

There are many projects that I have been involved with, but there are two things that I am most proud of at this point in my life. First, being a mom is something I am really proud of, because I get the opportunity to nurture this amazing 10-year-old son of mine. I am incredibly grateful to be his mom and watch his growth. The second thing I am proud of is doing my best to provide positivity and hope to people all over the world. I have met people from every continent (except Antarctica!) from my Mental Health Moment with Dr. Hammond show streaming on social media. I have met thousands of people through various mental health services and projects. It has been a true honor to learn about people from so many cultures and life experiences.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What I think helped to build my reputation within my market was a combination of factors. First, being authentic and passionate about what you are called to do is important. I have never thought about serving in the mental health field as only “a job”, but instead as a life mission to help as many people as possible. I believe that people want someone who is passionate about their area of work.

Additionally, I am incredibly blessed to have an incredible team with Hammond Psychology & Associates who helps to fulfill this mission of improving the lives of others. I could not make the impact in the field of mental health without amazingly dedicated team members.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

NOPE! I would absolutely choose to be in the mental health field if I had to go back in time, and I would still choose the same specialty area of children and teens.

Contact Info:

• Website: DrNekeshiaHammond.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/dr.hammond
• Facebook: facebook.com/drnekeshiahammond
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/drnekeshiahammond
• Twitter: twitter.com/dr_hammond
• Youtube: youtube.com/drnekeshiahammond

Image Credits
Joey Clay Studio and Tacy Briggs Troncoso