Today we’d like to introduce you to Keianna Simon.
Hi Keianna, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always believed that stories have the power to teach us something about ourselves, whether those stories are shared in a therapy room, discovered between the pages of a book, or collected through the experiences we have along the way.
I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories of falling in love with books include reading the Junie B. Jones series, Corduroy by Don Freeman, Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, and Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott. As I grew older, authors like Kimberla Lawson Roby and David Baldacci helped solidify my love of storytelling and my appreciation for books that could completely pull me into another world. Reading has remained one of the few constants throughout every stage of my life.
My other passion is mental health. In 2018, I earned my Master’s degree in Forensic Mental Health Counseling from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. After relocating from New York to Florida in 2019, I gained experience across several areas of the mental health field, including community mental health, mobile crisis intervention, and inpatient psychiatric care. In 2023, I became a licensed mental health counselor and transitioned into independent practice through my company, Sincerely, Your Mental Health, PLLC.
Mental health is more than my profession. It is work that I genuinely believe I was meant to do. I especially enjoy creating conversations around mental health topics that are relatable, practical, and sometimes unconventional. I believe some of the most meaningful conversations happen when we move beyond clinical language and talk honestly about relationships, boundaries, patterns, identity, accountability, emotional wellness, and the experiences that shape how we see ourselves.
Outside of the therapy world, you can almost always find me with a book, planning my next adventure, or finding something creative to do. I love puzzles, Legos, traveling, discovering new places, and documenting the experiences that make life interesting. My family is from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands so the Caribbean is where I like to spend the most time.
Books, however, have become the heart of my content creation. I have been part of the Bookstagram community for three years and recently expanded to BookTok, creating a separate space where my book reviews, recommendations, reactions, and wonderfully unpopular opinions can have a life of their own. I love discovering new authors, exploring different genres, rating my latest reads, and finding unexpected connections between books. One of my favorite ways to recommend books is through “If You Like This, Read That,” where two books that may look completely different at first glance turn out to share themes, emotions, characters, or experiences that make them perfect companions.
Reading has allowed me to visit places I have never been, experience perspectives outside of my own, learn about history and culture, and occasionally become far too emotionally invested in fictional people. That is part of what keeps me coming back to books. There will always be another story to discover.
As I look toward the future, I want to continue building a life that makes room for all of the things I love rather than choosing just one, as well as making space for new things. That means traveling to countries I have yet to explore, attending more book festivals, discovering authors and stories that surprise me, creating relatable content about books and mental health, and continuing the work of helping people better understand themselves.
At the center of it all, I am a therapist, reader, traveler, creator, and lifelong learner who loves a good story, a new adventure, a challenging puzzle, and any opportunity to ask, “Okay, but have you read this book?”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t call the issues I’ve had “struggles”, rather lessons. My graduate school journey took double the time, as did the amount of time it took me to earn my license as a clinician. Each are “supposed” to take 2 years, and both took 4 years respectively. Moving to another state, COVID, and communication issues contributed to each speed bump that I had to endure. Those issues taught me to slow down, and reminded me to focus on what I can control, which most times is not a lot; and because of that it pushed me to do my best with the little that I could change.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sincerely, Your Mental Health, PLLC?
In 2018, I created Sincerely, Your Mental Health. The entity started as just a blog and Instagram page dedicated to shedding light on topics that are not typically discussed in relation to mental health and personal self awareness. What started as an instagram page to offer tips, educate, and offer an opinion to get people thinking more deeply about their own mental health has grown into a (PLLC) private practice in the state of Florida. I have also lead workshops for children and adults to teach coping and emotional regulation skills, and educate those willing to learn how to start the process of finding support for their specific needs. I currently see adult clients weekly, and I also work at a mental health facility running group therapy three times a week.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baybuhs.bookshelf/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KeiannaMonique
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/sincerelyyourmh/
