We recently connected with LaShunda Armstrong and have shared our conversation below.

LaShunda , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

I’ve always been someone who puts in the work—no matter the role. That dedication helped me advance quickly in my career and step into leadership with confidence. I’ve long been passionate about encouraging others to chase their dreams, but I hadn’t considered that owning a business could be part of my own. I used to think entrepreneurship was something other people did.

At a certain point, I paused to reflect on the qualities I brought into every job I’d ever had—vision, reliability, empathy, drive. I realized those weren’t tied to a title or a workplace. They were mine. And if those strengths were mine, I could take them anywhere—even into something of my own.

That shift was eye-opening. I began to ask myself, “If I can do this for them, why can’t I do this for me?” That single question changed everything. It reframed how I saw myself—not just as a hard worker, but as someone capable of building something lasting and meaningful.

I realized that our gifts aren’t tied to roles—they are rooted in who we are.
That we don’t always need more experience—sometimes we just need permission to bet on ourselves.
And that leadership and excellence can serve our own dreams just as powerfully as they serve someone else’s.

That mindset shift was the defining moment that led to the creation of Abundance Counseling Services. And it taught me that the belief in our own possibility is the most abundant thing we can ever cultivate.

LaShunda , 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?

My name is LaShunda Armstrong, and I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, trauma-informed therapist, group practice owner, and mentor committed to fostering healing, empowerment, and growth—especially within BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. I’m the founder of Abundance Counseling Services, a mental health practice based in Arizona that offers compassionate, culturally responsive therapy to teens, adults, and professionals.

My journey into this work began with my own life experiences—moments that taught me about resilience, survival, and the power of starting over. I didn’t set out to become a business owner. In fact, for a long time, I believed that building something of my own was for other people. But over time, I began to recognize the consistent strengths I brought into every role: empathy, leadership, integrity, and vision. That realization—”if I can do this for them, why not for myself?”—was the seed that blossomed into Abundance Counseling Services.

At our practice, we support individuals navigating life transitions, grief, trauma, identity exploration, perfectionism, and relationship challenges. We offer evidence-based modalities such as EMDR, Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). These tools allow us to help clients process deep emotional wounds and rewrite the narratives that no longer serve them. Our approach is rooted in the belief that healing happens when people are seen in their wholeness—not just their symptoms.

What sets us apart is the soul of our work. We don’t believe in cookie-cutter therapy. Our practice is infused with cultural humility, liberation-based healing, and a deep reverence for each client’s lived experience. We provide a space where people can shed shame, connect to their power, and cultivate joy and self-trust.

Beyond therapy, I’m also a mentor and guide for emerging clinicians. I created TheraBloom, a soulful mentorship program designed to support new therapists in developing confidence, clinical identity, and integrity in their work. I also co-founded The Girlfriend Culture, a nonprofit initiative focused on community support and coaching for women, rooted in values of sisterhood, healing, and abundance.

What I’m most proud of is creating spaces—both in session and in community—where people can return home to themselves. I want potential clients and collaborators to know: this work isn’t just my profession, it’s my calling. Abundance isn’t just the name of my practice—it’s the guiding vision for every life we touch.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A powerful lesson I had to unlearn was that success requires self-sacrifice to the point of depletion — that to be valuable, I had to do the most, carry it all, and never drop the ball.

Early in my career — especially as a Black woman in professional and clinical spaces — I felt an unspoken pressure to constantly prove my worth. I overextended myself. I said yes when I was depleted. I took on extra roles, emotional labor, and invisible weight. I thought if I just worked hard enough, no one could question whether I belonged. But behind the scenes, I was burned out, disconnected from myself, and constantly battling feelings of not-enoughness.

It took real healing work to realize that worthiness is not earned through exhaustion. I had to learn that boundaries are not barriers — they are acts of self-respect. That rest is not a reward, it’s a right. And that when I show up for myself, I actually serve others from a place of integrity, not martyrdom.

Unlearning that lesson has transformed everything — how I lead, how I practice, and how I live. Now, I model wholeness, not hustle. I invite my clients and colleagues into the same truth: You are already enough. You don’t have to break yourself to build something beautiful.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

A pivotal moment in my life came years ago, in the aftermath of a season I rarely talked about — a season marked by shame, struggle, and the weight of choices I made as a young adult that almost derailed everything.

At 18, I found myself in legal trouble that shook the foundation of how I saw myself. I was angry, hurt, and at a crossroads. I could have easily let that moment define me — but instead, it became the catalyst for everything that came after. I made a decision to rebuild my life, not from a place of punishment, but from a place of purpose.

I left my home state for a fresh start, focused on education, and found work that allowed me to reconnect with my values. Over time, I poured myself into service — working in shelters, behavioral health, and eventually pursuing my master’s in social work. That single pivot — from self-doubt to self-determination — changed my entire trajectory.

Today, I bring that lived experience into every therapy room I enter. I don’t just talk about transformation — I’ve lived it. It’s why I hold such deep space for people navigating shame, rebuilding after loss, or trying to redefine themselves. It’s why Abundance Counseling Services is not just a practice, but a home for people who are learning that their past doesn’t disqualify them from healing — it makes the healing even more sacred.

That pivot taught me that redemption is real. And that we are never too far gone to rise.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.abundanceaz.com
• Instagram: abundance_az
• Linkedin: LaShunda Armstrong