We recently connected with Giancarlo Simpson and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Giancarlo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?
For many years I debated starting my own LLC. I found stability in my job and was comfortable. But what I realized was far more valuable: I did not fully trust myself on my own in the mental health field. I worked as an independent contractor for years; under agencies and other companies but never my own LLC. and LLC meant ownership, accountability, and investing in myself. Something that I was uncomfortable with, I was afraid of losing what felt like a certain income for something that may not yield the same results. That was not a gamble I wanted to take. Being an educator was not enough so the other job provided the well-needed help to support my family. With reassurance from my wife and prayer, I made the decision to redefine my legacy. I resigned from my position at work, supported the promotion of a fellow colleague, and dissolved their previous position to use the money to increase the staff’s overall salaries. I started The Broken Stereotype LLC in 2022 on faith and trust that I am worthy. What concern I had quickly went away. I walked in faith (and action) and was immediately blessed. I built up a solid caseload in a short period of time and over time it grew even more. Now, I have more room to grow personally and professionally while supporting people in their journey. It was a reminder to me that stability does not always allow you to reach your full potential. Stability can be a dangerous place, where comfort and safety overshadow growth and reaching your full potential.
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 grew up as the person that people felt comfortable sharing their personal experiences and perspectives with. I built a reputation for keeping my mouth shut. What I found useful was the wealth of wisdom and knowledge that evolved from these conversations. I was then able to share that information with others, who then in return will reciprocate, and so goes the cycle. I was able to support more people with more insight based on my conversations with others. Over time I became fascinated with how and why people did what they did and I was naturally competent in sociology and psychology courses. Understanding various stories from a personal and social lens was of great interest to me. Fast forward to college, I graduated with an Associate in Sociology from Howard Community College and transferred to FIU where I got my Bachelors in Sociology and Psychology respectively. In reviewing Masters programs I knew I wanted to be a therapist but was unsure in what field. I decided to take the clinical route, which was useful in my understanding of various mental disorders. I would later get my license in Mental Health Counseling, but I wanted to continue my education and immediately started my Ph.D. Program at Nova Southeastern University for Couples and Family Therapy. I have always been intentional in where I worked, interned, and studied. My goal was to be a well-trained therapist with experience in various backgrounds. I worked in treatment centers, private practices, agencies serving the LGBTQ+ community, and advocacy groups. I bring my experience in all the spaces that I have been exposed to in my work; which allows me to connect and support various clients. I am constantly learning and using wisdom from sessions to build on how I support all my clients, but what I am most proud of is who I am for my clients. I am me. I am authentic and honest with myself and honest with my clients. I am an advocate, accountability partner, consultant, and brain-storming collaborator to name a few. I create a supportive environment where I challenge people to learn more about themselves with the expectation of them doing something different in their lives. I am a firm believer that many of the things we do stems from our past and the survival styles we developed and while these habits may have kept us safe growing up, they also may hinder us in our adulthood. I am here to help someone be better and am notorious for making additional efforts to support my clients. What’s equally as important is that I am “me” for my clients because I give myself permission to be and I am most proud of how I as a therapist have been helpful in many people’s lives.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
What I find most helpful in my field is approaching therapy from a decolonized lens. Many people are trying to step into therapy/ mental health in some form and the traditional white-male-eurocentric way of doing so does not adequately serve many people in need. While these theories and methods have served as great foundations, applying them from a lens that is culturally sensitive or simply different has been a great way to connect with people and allow them to trust that therapy is what they make it.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think my experience working in different agencies and having a great referral network has helped me build my reputation. I think being intentional and dedicated to the advancement of people, and working in social justice spaces, has helped me in addition to speaking engagements surrounding mental health.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/giancarlo-a-simpson-fort-lauderdale-fl/365792
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_broken_stereotype/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giancarlo-simpson-ms-lmhc-he-him-his-28933b66/
Image Credits
Giancarlo, Jodi-Ann, Nayshma, The Rites of Passage Program