Inspiring Conversations with Ebonie Barnes of Refinery Counseling & Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebonie Barnes.

Hi Ebonie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up primarily in Miami, Florida, with one younger sister and my parents, who are both originally from Jamaica and the Bahamas. After high school, I headed to Florida State University as a very assured Criminology major with unwavering ambitions of becoming an attorney. Well, it was my sophomore year when I took an intro psychology class and instantly fell in love! I completed my undergraduate degree in Criminology as planned and earned my Bachelor’s in Psychology while I was at it.

In 2006, I began my career as an addictions counselor at a women’s correctional facility; to date, the most impactful experience of my career. There, I learned more than my formal education could ever teach about human nature, substance dependence, underserved populations, and the intersection of the justice system and mental health profession; my passion for this work was set ablaze. I went on to earn a master’s in Counseling and Psychology from Troy University (Orlando Campus) in 2009. During the years between and immediately after, I counseled adolescents and young adults in a range of settings, which included private homes, alternative education programs, and local homeless shelters. In 2012, I obtained my License in Mental Health Counseling and I have been Board Certified since 2015. My desire to work with marginalized communities led me to continue in community-based care for a number of years beyond licensure and gave me a bird’s eye view of the barriers to adequate, culturally competent mental health services.

The next chapter of my career took me into organizational leadership and counselor education. Seeking to reduce barriers to quality care and better educate incoming generations of counselors, I became a Qualified Supervisor and transitioned into executive roles of local community mental health organizations. Clinically, I remained most interested in serving minority groups, vulnerable adolescents, and those with other obstacles to quality care. After discovering the benefits of telehealth, I researched and trained extensively on the use of technology to connect clients to qualified providers while also improving treatment outcomes and soon after, I earned my Board Certification in Tele-mental Health Services. In 2019, I joined forces with a longtime friend and colleague who shared a passion for telehealth and minority mental health care; we co-founded Refinery Counseling and Consulting, a bustling, all virtual mental health practice. Currently, in addition to my clinical work with The Refinery, I oversee nationwide telecounseling operations for one of the leading opioid treatment programs in the US and am immensely grateful for where I am today.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I started my career single, ambitious, and laser-focused with a lot of emotional and physical availability. Before long, I became a wife, a mother, an executive, and an entrepreneur, all roles that were profoundly important to me but required pouring more and more from my cup in order to “do it all.” Mostly, I thrived, and when I didn’t, I recovered quickly from the challenges I faced. A few years ago, I endured the traumatic passing of my father within three months of the birth of my 2nd daughter and several other immediate family losses shortly after that. It shook my world to the core. That time, I did not bounce back as I had from challenges in the past. I resolved to dive deep into a healing journey for myself and sought to reestablish some sense of normalcy.

It wasn’t long before 2020 landed us all in a global health pandemic, brought the U.S. racism pandemic to a head, and catapulted the need for counselors of color to the forefront. This moment that seemed like I was needed the absolute most came when I was not sure that I had much available to give. I quickly relearned an obvious lesson – therapists are human first! So, while my career in itself had been relatively smooth, the demands of entrepreneurship and my profession have oftentimes come toe to toe with the rapidly changing demands of my evolution as a woman. I now prioritize and offer myself the grace I extend so readily to others and choose to rise to the occasion every single day. It is a journey on which I also choose transparency so that I may be a beacon of light for the next mom, wife, businesswoman, entrepreneur who still seeks to “do it all” even when her cup is empty.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Refinery Counseling & Consulting?
Refinery Counseling & Consulting, often referred to as The Refinery, is a mental health firm that is focused on education and improving access to care. 4Cs are the foundation of our mission: Community, Consulting, Courses, and Counseling. Our all virtual services include workshops, individual and family counseling services in Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Colorado, clinical supervision, peer and organizational consultation, training, and masterclasses. The Refinery has helped countless clients on their journeys through anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, life transitions, and trauma.

Over the past five years, we have contributed to various media outlets and higher education programs regarding mental health and advocacy for virtual services. Why telehealth? Because we are keenly aware that individuals have had limited choices in providers who shared their cultural background and create a space where authenticity was welcomed. While we cannot physically travel to each person who chooses us outside of our immediate radius, we can allow technology to make us more broadly available to serve. With COVID19 and the heightened racial unrest of 2020, we are extremely proud to have been prepared and positioned to answer the call of duty, across the US, through partnerships with several foundations providing free and low-cost therapy to communities of color. More recently, we have been tapped to provide larger scale education and training regarding racial disparities, bias, and self-care among helping professionals. All of our services are fully customizable and utilize evidence-based practices to help individuals and organizations achieve lasting results.

What matters most to you? Why?
Health matters, all avenues of it. Physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, and of course mental health are all very important to me. As the global society continues to face the complexities of COVID19, the world is seeing vividly how deeply these areas are intertwined. Ensuring that those who choose me to support them on their life’s journey remain healthy in as many areas as possible is important. Especially now, focusing additional energy on making sure that my loved ones and myself remain emotionally healthy despite altered routines and physical distancing is definitely a priority.

On a broader scale, the health and wellbeing of my community matters. Being able to connect with a counselor who looks like you or at the very least creates space for you to show up authentically, without explanation, and unapologetically matters, and is why my business exists. As a black woman with black children that have to grow up in this world and a black husband whose safety I pray for daily, the challenges we face are heavy. Our lives have value, and that attitude becoming the prevailing belief in our nation matters to me too.

Pricing:

• Individual Sessions: $120 per session

Contact Info:

• Email: Therefinerycc@gmail.com
• Website: Refinery4c.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therefinerycc/

Image Credits:
MyToSudios TerryR Photography