Social Work and The Soul

Each day as a social worker-in-training, I am reminded that healing is never one-dimensional. It's not just about addressing symptoms or solving problems — it’s about tending to the full humanity of the person in front of me. It’s about remembering that every story carries layers: of trauma, resilience, identity, culture, history, and soul.

My mornings often begin with a calming ritual — a cup of herbal tea and a few pages from one of my favorite romance or fiction books. Starting the day with stories reminds me of the human experience: connection, hope, vulnerability, and growth — the same themes that often weave through my work as a therapist and healing practitioner.

After reading, I typically move into a gentle yoga session or workout. This time is sacred for me; it's how I ground myself and reconnect to my own body and energy before holding space for others. Physical movement helps me stay present, strong, and balanced — qualities I aim to bring into every client session.

From there, my professional day begins. I spend time reviewing clinical notes and preparing thoughtful approaches for each client. I believe a good therapist's work isn't limited to the therapy hour — it's also in the careful reflection, planning, and intention we bring outside of sessions. I often read research articles or therapeutic books to continue deepening my knowledge, blending evidence-based practices with holistic healing modalities.

Throughout the day, whether I'm facilitating a group, working one-on-one, or writing reflections, my goal remains the same: to meet each person where they are and help them move toward greater peace, authenticity, and empowerment.

To me, healing is not just a job — it's a way of living with presence, curiosity, and heart.

My clinical journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services and Restorative Justice from Pennsylvania College of Technology. Now, as I move toward completing my Master of Social Work (MSW) at Columbia University, my days are shaped by the advanced clinical training I’ve received in trauma-informed care, somatic healing practices, and evidence-based therapeutic methods. Columbia’s curriculum didn’t just teach techniques — it challenged me to understand how power, race, oppression, and privilege are woven through every facet of human experience and healing. That lens is non-negotiable in my work.

Currently, I bring this awareness into my clinical practice, supporting women navigating addiction, trauma, and mental health challenges. Each session is a sacred invitation — not just to treat or to diagnose, but to witness. To walk alongside. To hold complexity, not flatten it.

But my path as a healer doesn’t stop at clinical frameworks. Beyond the theories and methodologies, there is the living, breathing soul of the work. I am also a certified Holistic Healing and Herbal Practitioner, and I deeply believe that healing must address the interconnected systems of mind, body, and spirit. Some days, this looks like weaving somatic awareness into a session. Other days, it’s introducing herbal support for nervous system regulation, or simply holding space for someone to reconnect to their own inner knowing.

This approach is personal for me. As a woman of color adopted into a white family, I grew up navigating questions of identity, belonging, and resilience from an early age. These lived experiences taught me that healing is rarely linear — it’s layered, nuanced, and sacred. They gifted me a capacity for empathy that informs how I meet others: with cultural humility, with deep listening, and with a commitment to creating spaces where every part of someone’s story is welcome.

As I step into my role as a SoulAdvisor practitioner, I feel called to bridge the clinical and the soul-centered — to meet people wherever they are, with whatever they carry, and to honor the innate wisdom within them. My work isn’t just about managing symptoms. It’s about guiding others toward liberation, empowerment, and wholeness. It’s about helping people reconnect with their authentic selves and the deeper purpose that’s always been alive within them.

Social work, at its heart, is about love in action. It’s the fierce commitment to believe in people's capacity to heal, even when the world has tried to convince them otherwise. It’s bearing witness to pain without turning away, and offering hope not as a shallow platitude, but as a deep, embodied knowing that healing — true, soul-rooted healing — is possible.

This is the work I am honoured to do every day.
And this is the life I am proud to live.