Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Harris
Hi Brittany, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always been the person my friends and family turned to in times of emotional distress and I’ve had a passion for people for as long as I can remember. I graduated from The University of Maryland Eastern Shore with a bachelors degree in Behavioral Rehabilitation in 2012. I served as the University Ambassador from 2011 – 2012 during which time I held a number of campus events focused on educating students on mental health. In 2013, I started my career at Mercy Medical Center in a small non-profit program, “Mercy Supportive Housing.” As a case manager and outreach coordinator under the supervision of Ms. Sandra Eaddy, I helped families facing homelessness obtain and maintain permanent housing – that’s where I fell in love with Social Work. I moved forward with pursuing my Master degree from University of Baltimore where I specialized in clinical social work with children and families. During my tenure I interned at the department of social services in Child Protective Services and a small clinically focused program, “Family Connections.” Upon completion of my masters degree in social work in 2017 I entered the workforce as a social worker in child protective services at Baltimore city Department of Social Services. Within a short period of time, I was promoted into a supervisory role within child protective services at the department. Although I enjoyed the work I did within the department and appreciate the impact I was able to make while I was there, I knew my passion was in clinical social work. From there, I worked for a short period of time as a NICU social worker at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and continued my clinical career in an outpatient mental health clinic. I worked diligently to obtain clinical experience and my clinical license, after which I started my private practice, Healing Hues Therapy. Currently, I continue to practice therapy with clients between Baltimore, Maryland, and down the beltway to Washington DC (I’m a clinically licensed social worker in Maryland and Washington, D.C.). I also serve as the Executive Clinical Director within Healing Hues, supervising a small clinical team. Additionally, I’m a doctoral student enrolled in University of Southern California’s DSW program and researching the effects of toxic stress in women of color.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to where I am now hasn’t always been a smooth one. Often times during my journey I struggled with my own mental and emotional health. During my undergrad tenure, I went through a really painful and public break up, which sent me spiraling into an angry depressive state. During my masters degree tenure, I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy, and unfortunately endured circumstances that left me as a single parent. I vividly remember having my son on my chest many nights while I was writing papers for school. During that time, I struggled financially and leaned heavily on the support of my family. After giving birth to my son, I experienced severe postpartum depression and almost dropped out of my program. Even now as a doctoral student, I find myself being mindful of imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and anxiety attempts to ride my back.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Healing Hues Therapy?
Healing Hues Therapy is a mental health, practice, servicing residence of Maryland and Washington DC. We are a small team of clinicians with a passion for destigmatizing mental healthcare in the African-American community. We specialize in Trauma-informed care, anxiety, depression, Christian counseling, couples counseling, women’s issues and issues specific to African-American women. African-American women often find themselves wearing masks that don’t allow for their authenticity and vulnerability. Many times this is because society fails to provide safe spaces for the vulnerability of this group of people. Although we service people of all ethnic, racial, and faith backgrounds, we are unapologetic about being a safe space specifically curated for African-American women and we are most proud to continue representing our brand in this way. We offer individual, couples, and family therapy virtually throughout the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising most people who know me may not know about me is that I love old boomerang cartoons; Some of my favorites include Yogi Bear, Magilla gorilla, dark wing duck, and DuckTales. The nostalgia found within these cartoons reminds me of my childhood, and takes me back to a time that was carefree. Watching these types of cartoons feels like soul-care for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.healinghuestherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambrittpaige/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HealingHuesTherapy/
