Today we’d like to introduce you to Allanah Roberts.
Hi Allanah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In 2014 I received my bachelor’s in Psychology and minor in educational studies from the University of Florida. I took a year off to gain some work experience During this year off I started my first career level as a DCF case worker in Brevard County where I am originally from as well as joined the Omega Omicron Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc in March 2015. In September of 2015, I started my master’s program in clinical mental health counseling at Nova Southeastern University on the Orlando campus. Due to the continuous commute every month for class, I decided to move to Orlando in January 2016. At this time I was still working for DCF as a certified child-welfare case worker and just switched my job to another case worker position in the Orlando area. in June 2018 I graduated with my master’s in clinical mental health counseling, Summa Cum Laude (Highest Honors) after graduation I was still a case worker but starting to transition into being a full-time contract therapist for the tri-county area. (Orange, Seminole, and Osceola county) I officially left case management in February of 2019 and became a full-time mental health counselor with a local counseling agency in Orlando whose primary clients were children and parents from the child-welfare system (what my background was in) After time passed I realized I wanted to explore a new population of clients that does not receive a lot of attention and that was incarcerated, adults. in December of 2019, I started my job as a mental health counselor at a department of corrections facility located in Florida. My specialty was working with the sex offender population but counseled all other prisoners as well. During my time at the prison I was also enrolled in my doctorates program that I began in September of 2018 with an expected graduation date of this year (2022) November, Summa Cum Laude as well. I am currently in my dissertation phase focusing on the emotional regulation of extended-foster care youth utilizing a person-centered group counseling approach which is working towards me receiving a Doctorate of Education Edd in Counselor Education and Supervision. Last year was a big year for me regarding my career and business opportunities. In May of 2021, I took the NMHCE (National Mental Health and Counselor examination) to become a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Florida and passed on my first try, which statistically is not done quite often. After becoming licensed I created my mental health private practice called “Essence of the Mind” this practice provides mental health services to all populations, children, young adults, older adults, and the elderly and provides individual, couples, and family counseling, clinical assessments, motivation and advocacy speaking platforms, parenting, and counseling for those adults seeking marriage prior to tying the knot! My business mantra is Live a little, Laugh a lot & allow yourself to find a safe place for Healing. Along with trying to get my private practice up and running off the ground, I am also a full-time assistant professor at Bethune Cookman University located in Daytona, FL teaching mental health counseling to Master level students.
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?
I wouldn’t say my road to being a business owner was super bumpy but it definitely was not smooth. Getting the clinical hours, experience in the field, and passing my licensure exam to be able to open my own mental health private practice was the “easy” part. what I am now struggling with is getting consistent clients to counsel. The two biggest issues are that I don’t accept any insurance. while in the future I may look into it but as of right now that is not my primary goal because I know all the hard work and leg work that goes into billing for insurance companies and personally I don’t believe it is worth the hassle especially when they only give their clients a certain amount of counseling sessions that they will pay with clinically this is not very effective for the clients nor the counselor. The second issue is the stigma associated with mental health and people being afraid that they will be judged or called “crazy” if they reach out for help. this stigma is a societal issue that has been going on for decades that needs to publicize more often as a negative stereotype and provide the positive benefits of counseling, especially in minority communities.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As of right now, I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has her own private practice as well as does contract work in the community part-time. Full-time I am a professor at Bethune-Cookman University teaching mental health competencies and skills to master-level students who would like to be counselors themselves one day. My specialties are dependency and child welfare, incarcerated adults, sex offenders, and Mental Health first aid. I am so known for being a strong advocate for mental health and publicly speaking about mental health issues any moment I can. I am also known to be an inspiration to others without even knowing I am which makes me push even harder toward achieving all the goals I have set forth in my life. What I am most proud of is accomplishing all of my career goals at the age young age of 30. There were many times I could have given up and done a regular “in my 20s turn-up lifestyle” but I sacrificed those things to better my life in the way I deemed fit. now don’t get me wrong I definitely had my nights on the town I am far from a “square” but some nights that I wanted to party I had self-disciplined and stayed in the house and worked on whatever needed to be completed at that time. what sets me apart from others is an easy but difficult question. I am a strong believer that God has chosen set paths for everyone and that in his timing everyone will reach that set goal. However, I can say that perseverance and resilience as a person may set me apart a little from others in my field of study. I say this because one month before my graduation with my master’s in mental health my grandmother suddenly in her sleep and I was devastated. She was my heart and all the education I set out to obtain was dedicated to her because during her time growing up as a black woman in the late 1930’s she was denied her education which only pushed me harder to achieve what she couldn’t as a young black woman. Following that a month before I started my doctoral program my step-grandmother died who I was really close to along with my uncle. Then late last year my first cousin and aunt passed away as well causing a delay in my dissertation writing process which pushed back my graduation date. As a mental health counselor who always deals with other people’s daily life struggles and grief symptoms, I did not know how to help or console myself for a while. it wasn’t until my dissertation chair told me that she was sorry for my loss but that she knew I also had a goal I wanted to accomplish (being a doctor by 30) that I realized that I needed to get back to work, stay positive, and keep moving forward while also healing with time! things I would say to my client if they came to me with a situation like this one.
What makes you happy?
Besides my husband-to-be (September 17, 2022)! There are two tangible items that make me happy and that’s singing and dancing. since I was a little girl I was a little girl starting at age 4 I sang in the church choir and led songs in my school choir. As well as participating in cheer and dance competitions starting at the age of 5 and performing liturgical dances for my church as well. These two activities take me out of my head and allow me to just “go with the flow” With the profession I am the in the structure I was raised in I am always a very serious person for the most part although I do at times have a great sense of humor as well. but when I am singing and dancing I just really stop thinking about the stressors that may be going on in my life at that moment and become one with the music I am listening to. one could say these forms of art are my “safe place for healing”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @essence_of_the_mind
- Facebook: AR Advocacy (fb account) or Essence of the Mind, LLC (business page)
