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

Dr. Patrice, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

My defining moment is a little outside of the box. Actually, there are multiple defining moments that all have led me to become who I am today. One that I recalled recently happened while I was a 4th-grade teacher. Boy was that a challenge. I was scared to death to be responsible for 22 eager 4th graders. Looking back I did what I do most of the time when I get scared, JUST BE ME. I did my best, worked on improving my skill, and enjoyed the journey. We learned science with food, we had a class song, made chants to learn the different types of angles and long division, and we would write, and write, and write. I figured if I had to teach it had to be fun. One of my former 4th graders (now 33 years old and a published author) posted this about a year ago on his facebook page:

I’ve said this before, but one of the main reasons I’m a writer is because I had a fourth grade teacher who looked at my paper about lemurs playing volleyball with a coconut and said, “ you could be a writer when you grow up.” It stayed with me forever. It’s just another illustration of how impactful our words can be; speak life, speak blessings!

He later wrote ab out another 4th grade memory:
I wore my new shoes to school and halfway through the day I was stopped in the hall by one of the women who worked in the office… She collected my shoes and told me I could pick them up at the end of the day….Apparently, the navy eyelets on my shoes were a major distraction. I was already a foot above everyone, self-conscious about my weight, and understood the reasoning behind why we didn’t drop $125 on ALL white shoes. Standing in the hall, shoeless, in tears, I tried to explain the problem to my teacher who was just as upset over the situation and how it was handled. Mrs. Dunn walked into the class ahead of me and asked everyone to take off their shoes. I know all superheroes don’t wear capes, but that day Mrs. Dunn was a hero in my eyes. Teachers have the ability to shape leaders of the future in the best way for society to build positive and inspired future generations and therefore design society, both on a local and global scale. In reality, teachers have the most important job in the world. Those who have an impact on the children of society have the power to change lives. Thank you for impacting mine and giving me a heart to stand up for others who the world tries to make feel less than.

He is now a published author and creator of Kelly and Kelso. It was this moment that reminded me that I am doing exactly what I was created to do. Doing the small things that make a huge impact in the lives of others is what I do.

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.

Personally I am the mom of two grown men and Nana to four grandchildren. I have a BS in Health Education, an MEd In Counseling from the University of North Texas, and most recently a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Texas Tech. I currently run my private counseling practice, Real Life Counseling & Consultation and i am an Asst. Professor at Midwestern State University. I speak nationally on topics from parenting to managing life to cultural competency, to issues related to Black women and sexism and racism. I have also authored the book, The ABC’s of Parenting with a Purpose.
I want to be set apart from the traditional therapist. I want them to appreciate my gift to encourage them and use my sense of humor to help make tough situations a little more tolerable. As an invited speaker I engage, entertain, and empower the audience through keynotes, presentations, and workshops. My audiences include, teachers, counselors, employees, churches, and corporations.

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

I know without a shadow of a doubt that I was created to do what I do. I come from a family of educators and administrators. My mom had a PhD in social work and being in behavioral health profession seems like it is in my DNA. I have taught grades 4th-graduate school. I think the memory of every student would be that we had a good time. When I transitioned into being a school counselor we continued to have fun and I think my students felt like I really understood them. I am passionate about being intentional when developing my relationships with students/clients. My position in the schools has allowed me to develop my skills working with teens, parents and program development.
Now after completing my PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision I get to continuing molding lives and encouraging individuals to live their best life. It is my plan to continue to speak nationally, consult in the schools, teach in higher education, and work one-on-one with teens and adults. As I reflect on this professional journey I know it was not by coincidence that I crossed paths with these individuals. I wonder where they would be if we had not worked together. As I hear from them periodically now as adults, spouses, and parents themselves, they are as appreciative of our time together as I am. They helped me become the professional I am today.

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

I think the fact that i have experienced adversity, loss, and the power of being an overcomer helps me succeed in this field. My experience with or the understanding of a variety of life experiences is beneficial. It makes me approachable. I am also skilled in accepting and meeting people where they are in life. I am a trained listener and I can create a space that they feel safe. I addition I consider myself culturally curious. I ask questions and am truly interested and invested in learning more about different cultures, more specifically that of my client/audiences. Lastly, I purposefully created a home office environment that feels like just kicking it at your friends house. Laid back, informal, yet powerful and productive. That’s me.

Contact Info:

• Website: patricedunn.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/patricethetruthdunn

Image Credits
Picture 2 and 3 Photo credit Kendra Pipkin