I knew that I wanted to be a therapist as early as middle school. I felt a calling to be of service to others. I was raised all my life around family members who worked in helping professions- educators, pastors, and human service. I embarked on my own therapeutic journey and what I discovered along the way wasn’t just my true self, but the power of being seen and held with unconditional support and love.

I started my journey in working with women and children in transition and moved into working with adults and children living with developmental disabilities and severe and persistent mental illness in both office and home settings. I continued my journey working as Faculty for University of Phoenix Bachelors of Human Service, and eventually in Counseling at Michigan State University. I have worked in various clinical and healthcare settings including emergency and crisis intervention, behavioral health centers, clinical and macro level MSW supervision and field liaison and most recent outpatient clinic settings.

My love of helping others placed me back in private practice settings with a passion for working with college students and people of color who have experienced trauma. I work with individuals, couples and providers in healing trauma and increasing pleasure as a sex therapist.

I also am the Founder and President of Healers of Color Collaborative of Michigan Inc, a nonprofit started to provide resources, scholarships and support for BIPOC individuals in Michigan. I believe we all have purpose in this world, and I have a gift in helping people regain connection with their gifts and creativity.

I have over two decades of experience working with individuals, couples, and families. I have become a therapist and coach to healers of many forms, and would love to help those needing guidance, clarity and healing along their journey. I am available for one-on-one sessions and also am a NASW Core Supervisor for those seeking full licensure.

I became a therapist and coach to healers and artists of many forms, and would love to help those needing guidance, clarity and healing along their journey.

Everyone is worthy of having their story heard. As a therapist, I want to support your authentic self – that which makes you different from anyone else. Our stories matter – it’s who we truly are. We each have strengths and assets, along with vulnerabilities and areas we could improve. Instead of avoiding the areas that may be bringing us down, I encourage clients to engage in personal growth and exploration.

When I meet a new client, I acknowledge that you’ve already taken the courageous step of showing up and asking to be seen and heard. I will take the time to hear your story – including your values, strengths, challenges, and help you look deeper within yourself. Showing vulnerability is an opportunity for growth. Vulnerability builds resiliency, hope, and healing. It shows humility and humanity and we can grow from a place of vulnerability.

With each session, you can expect empathy, compassion, and validation of your life experiences to create a collaborative and trusting therapeutic relationship. I value mindfulness, reflection, and attunement to your lived experiences. I utilize a holistic approach focusing on the integration of emotional, physical, and one’s innate strength to find their authentic self. I have a passion for each person to find their purpose to live a life of restoration, joy, contentment, and overall wellness in the wholeness of their lives. I will work with you to create a therapeutic approach to help transition from where you are now, to where you want to be.

My formal training includes a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Finance and a Master’s degree in Social Work, Graduate Certificate in Social Work Practice with Family & Couples from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. Certificate in Organizational Inclusion & Diversity – from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.

I am aware of the stigma surrounding therapy/mental health in the Latinx community firsthand, which was one of the deciding factors in becoming a therapist. Through therapy, we can establish goals and learn how to overcome barriers to achieve your goals. I strive to provide a safe place for you to start your healing journey. I believe we can all become better versions of ourselves. There are moments in life where you feel depressed, experience anxiety, or go through a rough patch and you need to talk with someone who will listen without judgment. These emotions are part of everyone’s life experiences.

I am a bilingual native Spanish speaker, daughter of immigrant parents, and the first in my family to attend college and graduate school. My therapeutic orientation is person-centered, psychodynamic, and trauma-informed, but I have experience in the utilization of cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and solution-focused approach.

I specialize in working with first-generation professionals, imposter syndrome, anxiety, depression, and trauma. I would be honored to begin this journey with you.

Sometimes we have challenges with old habits from youth or as an adult that don’t seem to go away and it’s causing distress and dysfunction. We seem to keep repeating the same cycles without any growth. I often say “You repeat what you don’t repair,” it’s only when we get to the root of the issue that we can change it. If you’ve been on the hamster wheel of life and want to get off, let’s talk. Stop going through life and start growing through it. There is always hope and you are not alone, you are literally one decision away from changing the rest of your life!

Often times what causes problems is that we don’t have the right mental tools to handle the situation. Working together I will help you find the right methods that will aid in defeating the negative cycle of life and put you in a position to have what I like to call “Mental Wealth” and that is having wellness in every area of your life.

I’d never claim to be the best counselor, but what I do have is compassion, empathy, and patience not to exclude two ears that listen to understand well. If you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, anger, or another personality disorder, together we will figure this out and get you living your best life! Remember “Your Mental Health Is Your Wealth!”

Sometimes the scariest thing to do is talk to someone, especially if we feel like we will be misunderstood, laughed at, or judged. As a therapist my goal is to create a safe, comfortable, and confidential space for you to have someone to talk to.

I focus on helping clients enhance their holistic health, manage relationships and cope with the stressors that may come from life changing events or navigating multiple worlds. Much of my experience has been working with teenagers, college students, and middle-aged adults. My therapeutic approach is strength based and person-centered. I use mindfulness-somatic based techniques, narrative, and cognitive behavioral therapies.

As a child of African immigrants from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I acknowledge that mental health in African immigrant communities and across the African diaspora can often be a taboo subject. As a clinician, I encourage healing at your pace, unpacking family, community, and cross-cultural experiences which may influence your wellbeing. Thus, in this process we get a chance to work together to ensure that you have support to reflect, release emotions and physical tension, develop coping skills, among other benefits in therapy, to get you through life’s ups and downs. Furthermore, I strive to acknowledge and keep informed on historical and present contexts, through an Africentric understanding that the past-present-future are constantly shaping who we are and who we will become.

I completed my PhD in Social Work and Developmental Psychology and Master of Social Work (MSW) at the University of Michigan; my Master of Public Health (MPH) at Emory University; and my Bachelor of Arts (BA) in International Studies and Black World Studies at Loyola University Chicago.

I look forward to working with you.

When asked “What is my ideal client”? My response will always be you! I have an innate passion for people and feel that one’s healing journey should be customized to suit their individual need(s). I take a strength-based person-centered approach to help each client begin to identify/build upon their abilities to overcome obstacles at every stage of life. Upon working together, we will focus on healing holistically, integrating techniques suited for the whole person, aligning spirit, mind, body, soul, and goals.

I know firsthand from personal and professional experience the value of a safe space to simply be. To dialogue, process, and progress in a transparent judgement free environment. I invite clients from all walks of life and have particular interest in grief related work, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

I have a plethora of varied experiences and an array of resources to share. This is not just a career, but my calling and I believe the one true way to rise is simply by lifting others, so I welcome you to come exactly as you are and I will meet you there. I look forward to learning how I can aid you on this healing journey.

Context is key. And most of us have not been given the time or the skills to understand many of the forces that have profound effects on our lives. While your feelings are real/valid/happening to you now, there are experiences, history, culture and society to contend with.  Each of these things can have a profound effect on your sense of wellness.

We can work together to:

• gently untie knots,
• rewrite rules that no longer support you,
• work through depression and anxiety,
• get support with ADHD,
• gender affirmation,
• support you through parenting and family concerns, and
• create a sense of wellbeing at work.

She is open to new clients. Chey has been an Associate Professor of English at Delta College in University Center, Michigan, for a number of years and brings with experience with higher education. She specializes in teaching social justice under the guise of English. Chey is the author of one chapbook, Collection, with BiteMarks Press, and is a member of the Broken Nose Collective.

“I work with a trauma informed, gender and sexuality affirming lens. You are welcome to our time together as your fullest self, always.  I enjoy working with children and teenagers, and college students especially. I also enjoy working with adults as individuals and in couples. I am glad you are reaching out for the support you deserve. “ – Chey

Why some people choose private pay/life coaching-

One of the many reasons why private payment options work well in the private practice setting is because some clients may lose their health insurance after treatment has begun. Receiving private payments allows clients the option to continue services, instead of leaving our practice and finding a new provider who does take their insurance. Another reason, some clients may not want others to know they are receiving services, some for privacy reasons, safety reasons, and even stigma.

• No insurance equals less documentation. This results in more quality time to focus on treatment.
• Mental health diagnosis is not mandatory and not submitted to your private health records.
• More services are allowed without restrictions such as online counseling and tele-counseling.
• No limit on amount of sessions or time of your session.
• You are guaranteed privacy and confidentiality.
• Stigma of some diagnoses can often be avoided.
• Private pay clients are able to choose the focus, duration, and frequency of treatment . You are even allowed to choose the length of sessions.
• Research shows that clients who have to pay something for their treatment have more positive outcomes that those who receive free treatment.
• Sliding scale rates can be offered to clients paying private pay. This means that privately paying clients can actually pay less than those who pay with insurance.
• You or your child won’t be labeled with a mental health diagnosis unless you request this type of assessment.

Contact our office to schedule your Life Coaching sessions!

Before being a Social Worker, I am a wife, a mother, and a human first, and neither of those came easy. I am from Detroit, born and raised! I have experienced and understand the struggles, the frustration, and the joys that life can bring both personally and professionally. We all need a shoulder to lean on and a support person in those hard to navigate seasons in our lives. I am here, not as a person telling you what to do, but a passenger in the seat of your life, helping you navigate to your destination.

I have always found great joy in serving, listening to others, and understanding a person’s life experiences. I am interested in helping other women work through anxiety, depression, religious trauma, post-partum, and career counseling.

My therapeutic style is strength-based, easy-going, safe, and a place where we can smile and “just be”. There is not a single person on this earth like YOU, and I hope to help you realize your greatest attributes. I strive to create a welcoming, judgement-free telehealth environment.

Looking forward to working with you, in your journey of life! Arise and Shine, for your light has come!

Oftentimes we may think we have all the answers, one task after the next, one problem after the next. In the midst of so much surrounding stimuli we often forget to take a moment in the beauty of stillness. Stillness is such a simple word, but it can be difficult to achieve or appreciate but it is not impossible. As a therapist I have always believed if you show someone the window, they will find the door themselves. As you look through the window, I hope you find comfort in knowing this is a place you can be seen and heard whenever you are ready.

As a first-generation immigrant child, I know the pressures that life can throw at you, it doesn’t make it any easier when there is stigma surrounding mental health in your community. As a Pakistani girl who was raised in the United States, I have seen and experienced my fair share of struggle and I have learned to be resilient in the face of adversity. One of the reasons I became a therapist is to help create a space for people to experience the kind of support that they may not have received but have always deserved.

I understand the hardships when navigating the grey areas of life, such as, the social, religious, romantic, and familial pressures. My goal is to bridge the gap between the polarities we often come across in our life’s journey. I seek to find the midway point of where we can unpack the dualities of life while preserving one’s individual values and belief systems.

Along with fluently speaking Urdu/Hindi, I have a background in Islamic teachings and spirituality. I am open to working with all walks of life, I understand inclusivity is the key to a thriving future. I completed my undergraduate studies in Family Science from the School of Public Health at University of Maryland: College Park. I received my graduate degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Michigan: Ann Arbor. While pursuing my graduate degree, I was able to have the opportunity to work with a diverse group of clients. This allowed me to develop the skills necessary in Crisis Counseling, practice CBT, while also deepening my awareness in cultural sensitivity amongst enhancing various other skills.

I am holding a safe space for you and whenever you are ready, know the door is always open.

The wise David Richo once said, “Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us”. I have personally faced numerous adversities and this quote has helped me overcome them. In the African-American community, there’s always been a taboo mindset about seeking therapy. This results in the Black community being underserved due to stigma and fear. I’d like to advocate for and help eliminate this stigma. This led to my interest in becoming a therapist. I hope to inspire more people, especially in the African American community to seek therapy.

I recently graduated from Michigan State University with a Master of Social Work Degree. I represent the first generation to obtain this esteemed honor within my maternal family. I am nearing a decade of professional experience working with marginalized communities. Along this path, I have acquired experience working with numerous families that have been impacted by variations of abuse and neglect. I have developed a passion for working with children, however I aim to provide assistance to all. Helping people has always been a passion of mine. It makes my heart smile knowing I assisted in helping someone overcome any obstacle they may have encountered.

My goal is to create a non-judgmental, safe, and confidential environment using compassion and empathy. I am here to be a great listener and help community members by assisting with their needs whenever they are ready.