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

Kevnesha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

The lesson was how hard it is to transform the criminal justice system, while working for the Department of Corrections. I realized halfway through my 6 year career with the Department of Corrections as a mental health therapist that I was apart of the problem by participating in the dehumanization and traumatization of incarcerated people.

The back story is my parents were incarcerated when I was a child. In addition I was raised in the inner city where incarceration is normalized as stage of development for Black men and boys. I wanted to disrupt this notion and bring empathy, healing and trauma-informed mental health care to the criminal justice system. After developing PTSD from the trauma I was witnessing in the correctional facility, I resigned. My resignation was an act of self-preservation and resistance. Since then, I’ve helped write, and pass key legislation to end solitary confinement in Connecticut. I wouldn’t have been able to participate in these legislative efforts while working for the Department of Correction.

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

I got into mental health by studying psychology and criminal justice in undergraduate school. I’ve always worked in the intersections of mental health and the criminal justice system. Currently, I work as the Clinical Director and therapist at Quality Counseling. Quality Counseling is a group mental health practice that focuses on healing generational trauma in Black and marginalized communities. We offer individual and group therapy, art therapy, meditation, yoga therapy, substance use education, and therapeutic mentoring. We are resolving mental health disparities in CT’s Black communities by offering affordable and accessible mental health services. I’m most proud of creating a safe space for Black people to heal and for Black therapists to avoid burnout. I want potential followers to know that fostering intergenerational healing is a deep passion of mine. I want people to know that healing generational trauma is hard but possible with a supportive community.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn was being a “Strong Independent Black woman”. This is a belief, pattern, and lifestyle that I inherited from prior family generations. Hyperindenpendence was lonely, sad, isolating, and exhausting. I’ve since learned the power of community, collaboration, and vulnerability. Connecting with like-minded professionals is necessary for my personal and professional growth. I no longer strive for independence and seek interdependence from my tribe.

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

Absolutely, I’d choose to be a therapist every single time. Being a therapist and healer is a big part of my identity and my life’s purpose. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. My role as a therapist has evolved to encompass consulting, program developing, teaching, and public speaking. It’s created many different avenues for me to facilitate healing that incorporates holistic practices.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.QualityCounselingCT.com
• Instagram: @Kevnesha_LPC
• Linkedin: Kevnesha Boyd