We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tiyanna Washington a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tiyanna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

Looking back, starting my wellness practice was a long time coming. Ever since I could remember dating back to middle school straight through my college years, I’d always surrounded myself in youth & wellness centered spaces from schools, youth groups in churches, community events in my area, my interest was always in working with teen girls. During my undergrad and graduate years in school, while studying social work and psychology, I started to intern and work with community nonprofits that worked to uplift, motivate and empower teen girls. Throughout these experiences, it occurred to me that maybe there was a way I could blend my love for mental health with working with teen girls.

And so I created, Tspeaksnyc— a multi-service wellness practice dedicated to providing accessible mental health and wellness tools, resources and programming for teen girls. I remember being so scared to take that first leap of faith and step out on my own. It’s one thing to work under the shadow of someone else but making that decision to step out on your own can be, scary. I sat on my LLC paperwork for months, telling myself I’d eventually get to it, knowing deep down it was just an excuse. Until one night it suddenly clicked for me-I couldn’t genuinely tell the young women that looked up to me to go out there and follow their dreams if I wasn’t doing the same. And so Fall 2019, I submitted my paperwork to establish my wellness practice in the state of NY.

It was one of the most freeing experiences and proud moments of my life. Much of the self-doubt I was experiencing went out the window as I started to gain my confidence as a new business owner and realized the work, I had been putting in all the years prior, had resulted in some really beautiful working relationships with folks that wanted to work with me via Tspeaksnyc. I’ll never forget as I started to see success in the early stages of my wellness practice, a piece of business advice my mentor gave to me, and it was to always plan for the unexpected.

Less than 4 months after establishing my wellness practice COVID-19 hit, NYC became the epicenter of this new virus and many of the in-person contracts I was able to secure via Tspeaksnyc, were now put on hold. I was devastated. For a brief moment, a part of me wanted to throw in the towel but I knew there were hundreds if not thousands of young girls that needed inspiration and tools and resources to navigate the anxiety and depression that came with being home during this nationwide lockdown. And so, I learned to pivot and began offering my services virtually since we could not meet in person. The results and feedback were tremendous, so much so, that I expanded my practice to provide 1:1 wellness coaching for teen girls in need. Looking back if I were to do anything differently, it’d probably be to start sooner and trust in myself more. So often we possess the talents and skills but lack the confidence and discipline to go after our dreams.

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

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself: I am the proud daughter of Caribbean parents who migrated to the US to make a better life for themselves and their family. I am forever grateful to my parents for instilling confidence in me, especially during times growing up, when I struggled with being teased and bullied because of my darker skin tone. My parents were my foundation for truly learning and knowing what it meant to practice self-love and being kind to myself.

how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc,
I always say me being in the wellness field was no accident- I come from a lineage of powerful female social workers and wellness practitioners in my family & my experiences with bullying growing up really solidified my love of working with youth with similar experiences. Fast forward more than a decade later, I’m now able to educate teen girls about the impact and connection between trauma, life experiences and their mental health and self-esteem.

what type of products/services/creative works you provide
My wellness practice partners with community organizations, schools and social responsibility sectors to provide culturally-affirming mental wellness programming and workshops for teen girls. My practice engages the community in educational activities to promote mental health literacy, advocacy and awareness. My workshops and programs range from single workshops to multi-week cohorts and courses. I’ve created online wellness worksheets grounded in understanding your mental health, stress management, building your confidence along with many other mental wellness topics as a way for my work to continue to have an impact even if I am not physically in the room.

What problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others.
I help teen girls become the best version of themselves.
My work allows teen girls to be heard, to be seen & to feel understood in a way that feels nurturing, supportive and safe. By equipping them with the necessary knowledge and resources helps them to overcome their anxiety, low self-esteem and have a better understanding of themselves. In doing so, supports their mental health and gives them the confidence they need to be the best version of themselves.

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.
I’d have to say I’m most proud of my consistency in doing the work that I love and the impact I’ve had over the past few years in the lives of so many teen girls. It’s the best feeling opening an email or dm from a former client or someone that has attended a workshop to simply say thank you or how much my words resonated with them and the changes they’re making to become the best version of themselves. I’ve had high school seniors and college freshman tell me they’ve decided to pursue social work because of the impact I’ve had in their lives. Just knowing that the work I am doing has made a young girl feel confident in herself-that in itself, makes me feel proud.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but they will never forget how you made them feel—I must have read that quote over a 1,000 times. I read this quote to myself before any workshop, keynote or presentation that I give, to ground me in the mindset of, what feeling do I want my audience to walk away with: inspired, motivated, hopeful? Keeping this is mind, has helped me to stay consistent with my delivery and my messaging thus building my reputation within my field. It goes without saying, that being genuine and authentic in the work that you do, is a must for any business but the way in which you chose to connect with your audience, is what will always leave a lasting impression.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

If I could go back in time, I would absolutely choose to become a mental health and wellness therapist all over again. I can honestly say being in this field has not only helped me to become a better business owner but a better person as well. It’s forced me to examine my own mental health and how my decisions impact those that I care about the most. Our relationship with our mental health is often times thought of has a hush hush taboo subject matter not even discussed in the comfort of our own homes for many—but becoming an advocate in this field helps me to dismantle the stigma around saying, “I’m not okay”. It’s allowed me to give voice to thousands of young girls who once felt silenced, and it’s helped me to come to terms with understanding my own mental health.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tspeaksnyc.com
• Instagram: @tspeaksnyc
• Linkedin: Tiyanna Washington
• Other: Link to my digital wellness worksheets: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WellnessShop4Teens?load_webview=1&bid=AFbc6bS1OR2FBG79N4ArFeGjQ60q