We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kion Glover. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kion below.
Kion, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
The entertainment/fashion industry may appear exciting from the outside looking in – the likes on social media, the fashion, parties, meeting famous people, traveling etc… However, those in it know this is an incredibly small portion of what the entertainment/fashion industry actually is. My hope today is to give an insider look of what it looks like when the cameras are turned off. I’ve modeled particularly my whole life. From church fashion shows to school fashion shows to commercial castings, I am no stranger to being in front of the camera. Yet, at such a young age I was protected and shielded from the dangers of this industry until my mother could no longer protect me. I started modeling professionally back in 2018. At that point, I had no idea what the modeling world actually looked like. I’ve never been to a model casting at an agency alone, I didn’t know what to wear or bring. I just showed up! Nonetheless, I started off open castings in NYC with agencies. You’d think they would take time to get to know you, but that is absolutely incorrect. You stand in long lines just to be seen for 3 minutes by agents that weren’t even paying attention. That’s just the industry works. I paid it no mind because I was just glad to be there! As time went on, the comments about my body being too curvy, the waiting just to not be paid any attention to, and the pressure to look a certain way started to take a toll. I became obsessed with counting calories to lose weight, developed uncontrollable negative thoughts about myself, and would compare myself at every casting. As one point, I didn’t know what I actually looked like. Am I plus sized or skinny? I recognized if this is what I am dealing with imagine the hundreds of models/singers/actors/dancers that are dealing with the same thing that may not be aware of what is occurring mentally? The need for mental health in the fashion/entertainment industry became my driving force in raising awareness. I want models to know how to pose but also how to manage rejection, body imagining, negative thoughts etc…These are the things we need young models to focus on so that they do not fall victim to the harsh beauty standards of this industry. My mission is to start the conversation about incorporating mental performance and mental wellness in the entertainment industry. We must train models mentally to handle what happens in this industry and how to be healthy physically and mentally. It is not just makeup and photo shoots, its how do I help this model love herself for what she looks like regardless of the rejection she faces? For me, it’s about who out there feels they are not good enough for an industry that puts pressure to be “perfect” and how to handle this never ending chase of perfection.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Ki aka the Model Therapist aka Kion Glover, Licensed Associated Counselor and Educational Specialist founder of The Creative’s Mind . TCM is a multitude of things. Not only is it a mental health brand and a mental performance consulting company, but it is also the title of my podcast that aims to show real and raw conversations from many different creatives discussing their mental health journey in this industry. TCM and all that it encompasses focuses on pulling back the curtain on what it really means to exist in a world that glorifies the art but often overlooks the artist. From my own experience of burnout to performance anxiety, I saw what was lacking and decided to be apart of the solution. My mission is to raise mental health awareness in the entertainment industry by fostering open conversations with my podcast, providing resources on the TCM instagram page, and advocating for the well – being of artists and industry professionals. I aim to recognize the unique pressures and challenges us creatives face. I strive to create a supportive community where mental health is prioritized. I hope to break stigma,inspire change and empower creatives to thrive personally and professionally.
Outside of the TCM podcast and social media platforms, my goal is to provide mental performance consultation to models and/or other creatives in this industry to learn how to cope with many performance challenges, develop mental performance skills and navigate the highs and lows of the entertainment industry. There are many issues creatives face – burnout, body imagining, handling rejection, performance anxiety, developing a routine etc…A I mentioned before, I saw the lack of mental health awareness in this industry and wanted to create a solution rather continue to ignore this growing issue. I have done runway in Philly, NYC, and Miami. My experience has been pretty pictures yes, but also a lot of rejection, failure, struggling body imaging issues and comparison. I didn’t have anyone telling me how to handle these issues mentally. I couldn’t find someone who could teach me to develop the necessary skills to protect my mental heath as I navigate this industry. There was a lot of messing up but also a lot of learning in the journey! When I am not a model, I am a licensed associate counselor working in various school districts in my home state. I specialize in mental performance that seeks to help artists and athletes perform better mentally.
I actually had no clue I would end up being a model AND a therapist! In college, I didn’t have a major until junior year and still no idea what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until I came home and began to model that a very small idea popped up in my head – incorporate mental health and modeling. I didn’t play with the idea until I was heavily involved in modeling and saw the need for mental health services and conversations. I am proud of my achievements, but I am most proud of how dedicated, resilient and passionate I am. I love what I do and I love sharing the knowledge that I have so others can learn and do better. I want people to know you don’t have to suffer in silence as a model, singer, actor, dancer etc…There are people such as myself that know what that pressure to perform feels like. It’s rough! Yet, there’s help. You can learn how to pose like Tyra Banks, how to sing like Whitney Houston, how to act like Denzel, but can you manage the pressure to perform without cracking under the pressure? Do you have the mental performance tools to handle rejection? Do you know how love your body despite the comments made about it? These are things I want you to begin asking yourself. If the answer is yes, it’s time to get you the help you need to shine on stage!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the mindset that success equates to how many likes you get. Sometimes I find myself honestly at times obsessing over the lack of likes or views I had. I often thought that it meant I was not successful which left me upset and uninspired. I had to unlearn that it’s not about how many likes or views you have or don’t have; that being true and authentic to yourself mattered more. Social media has conditioned us to believe that likes is what matters the most. I was on “like” chase on social media that lead to a noticeable disconnect to who I was and what my brand represented. I felt if I didn’t have these many likes or views, my creation is not up to par. I had to become comfortable with posting what connects with me the most even if it meant not getting the views I had wished for. At one point, I said who cares! If I don’t reach the masses and only get to reach 50 people, that means someone heard my message and that someone could very well be encouraged to take care of their mental health. My purpose is to reach at least one life. So, whether it’s 10,000 or 100 likes, my art and the message it portrays is worthy regardless of who views it.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I think non creatives will struggle to understand my journey as a creative behind closed doors looks nothing like the pretty pictures i take! Often, people see the IG post, the runway shows, the photo shoots and think wow shes confident! She’s getting paid! She has everything. Rarely do non creatives see how ugly it gets when the cameras go off. People that are not in this industry struggle with understanding that it is not easy being a creative let alone a model! Sometimes I am not confident. I compared myself. I do not have it all. I may go months without a paid gig. Andre 3000 said it best in the song Elevators “True, I’ve got more fans than the average man but not enough loot to last me to the end of the week” He goes on to say we (creatives) live check to check and if you don’t like what I put out there as an artist, I don’t get paid. I’m struggling financially just like the next person despite being in this industry that many people assume we all get paid. It takes years to become a consistently paid model. This verse perfectly captures that non creatives think this is easy and fail to realize I have the same struggles as they do. As a model especially, everyone thinks I am confident. There are days. I do not like how I look and I struggle. I just try to stay grounded in those moments. Ultimately, all that glitters ain’t gold. You’d be surprised what goes on behind the lens.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themodeltherapist_?igsh=YWp6cDVmczE0czM1&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecreativesmind
- Other: The Creative’s Mind IG brand page: https://www.instagram.com/thecreativesmind__?igsh=cTZ1Z3lhaTRjOHNq&utm_source=qr
Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Picture #2 Ric “@nativepharaoh
Picture #3 Kyle @capturedbykylephoto