Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawndrika Cook.

Shawndrika, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

This is a great question. I think how I got here is GOD 1000%. I know that is a real general statement, but absolutely true. When I think about my journey I realize in the midst of self-proclaim decision making, it all led up to GOD moments. My mother told me that my being here is based on her reading the story of Hannah. She told me that the story of Hannah’s desperation to birth something into the earth that brought GOD glory was why she prayed for me. However, unlike Hannah, my mom did not have any more children. LOL! Literally, everything about my life has yielded the fruit of GOD’s hand even when He and I were not in a relationship or even on good terms. I think so many times we are asked to share our story and though we want to give you the ins and outs of the process, most of us want to know…Did the process work? What it worth it? Can I be honest the process for me has never stop. My story continues to unfold. I honestly do not know if I have a story, or just a finish product of the process. Because when I feel like I am getting the hang of life and I think all is working well, here comes something to knock me into this level of discomfort.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Smooth? What’s that? This has truly been a bumpy road with many obstacles and difficulties. This road has been filled with disappointments, rejection, battles of the mind and heart, abuse, insecurities, and frustrations. It has truly been a road that I continue to journeyon to this day. The process of the road becomes smooth in the sense of my faith growth. In 2011 I found myself on the roughest road of my life. Well, it did not start out that way. So, in 2010 I met this man and he at the time was sweet, caring, and romantic. I would share things and dreams, poof he would find away for me to experience what I shared. This was a love story for the books so I thought. We met at church and though I was the ministry head over the team he had just joined I felt a connection with him. I do not know if it was the complements he gave, how he smell, or just his heart to serve. Whatever it was I wanted him in my life. So, let me give you the short version of this “love story.” In February of 2010 we start dating, June of 2010 we were engaged and out of disobedience and anxiousness, we were married in November of 2010. The disobedience and anxiousness was all me with a little desperation. If you calculate what I shared we were only dating and engaged for about five months. So, into the marriage I had a miscarriage, which lead to me bleeding from November 2010 to May of 2011. After my DNC my husband decided that I was not good enough. He told me he lied about having children (he had two daughters at the time), that he was mad about us not being able to have sex (I was on restriction after my DNC and end up with and infection), and that he was no longer attracted to me. Here this lead to a divorce of obedience. I did not sign the papers until GOD told me to. After the divorce, I felt like a failure. I was supposed to be the curse breaker when it come to marriages in my family. I was supposed to be the trailblazer. I was supposed to be the one that told the enemy. See LOVE does when. But here I was divorced, childless, and suicidal. I did not have a plan on how I was going to do it, but I start writing the letters, and preparing for my exist. I was preparing to graduate with my masters in counseling and start the journey in the field. No one knew that during this moment of happiness I was preparing to end my life. I mean no one but GOD of course. As I continue to “fake it until I made it,” with my beautiful mask, my sorority sister decided to honor me with a lunch. She gathered some of the sorority sisters that I was close with and they met with at a restaurant while we were in town for homecoming at The University of Alabama. (Had to put that in there.. ROLL Tide!) At this lunch they spoke life into me through words of affirmation and appreciation. Only one of them knew what had been going on in my life, but none of them knew the thoughts of suicide that had been going on in my mind for the last couple of months. That moment honestly saved my life. It was a reminder of how great GOD is even when we do not want anything to do with him, his plan, or his love and promises for us. The process of life comes with bumps and BABY it is rough and frustrating, but the fruit of all that comes with it is well worth it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

So I am a licensed professional counselor, who specializes in therapy. I know people think they are one and the same, but they are not. A counselor’s job is to address things that happened five years ago to the present. They are centered on creating spaces of empowerment, health resolution, and creating boundaries with accountability. A therapist on the other hand addresses everything about you. They are looking at your roots. What was the status of our grandparents? Were there any complications during your mom’s pregnancy with you? What was her mindset while being pregnant? We want to know all your family’s business. We examine the holistic person and create space to address things the person did not even create. We help the person pinpoint family patterns and learned behaviors that transfer into various spaces in their life.

When I think about the accomplishments I have made in my profession, I think the one I am proud of the most is the influence and impact I have made on my circle pertaining to mental health. I also think the awareness I bring to the church around the topic of mental health is a great accomplishment as well. I have not wrote the book yet, but one is coming where I will create awareness of how mental health issues are throughout the Bible and how even, the LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST dealt with mental health issues. I have preached on it so many times and everytime I get a new found revelation and so does the audience that I am preaching to.

What sets me apart from others? I think it’s my passion and my reliability. I try my best to make sure what I am saying in sessions, workshops, presentations, or in conversation, strikes the heart of life applicable situations. Mental health can be complex at its core. It can be overwhelming through its techniques and theories. I feel the reason that people do not go therapy is because of its complexity and of course the various stereotypes.

What does success mean to you?

Success to me is defined by, the action of your heart, the passion of your actions, and the influence of your environment. In other words, you must be consistent in what you believe, be open to the unorthodox ways of the process, and realize that this is never about you, but about GOD working in you to grow the faith of others. It is the space where surrender meets obedience. Ok, I am trying to preach this revelation and not cry either. Cause this one hit me hard when I got it. Society measures success based on the consumption of materialistic things… houses, cars, and bank accounts over 6-figures. But GOD success is so much greater than that. It is measure based on your actions of love, your posture of surrendering, and consistency of obedience. It requires a lot of selflessness, stillnesss, and silence. I call this formual the three S’s of success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bwmhi.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceotherapist22/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawndrika-cook-ms-ed-s-lpc-5592b07a/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dearfuturehusband3654

Image Credits

Family Guy Photography
BProdutions
TPaul Photograpy