Today we’d like to introduce you to Myisha Jones.
Hi Myisha, 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 like to start to answer that question by this quote, that I always jokingly say when speaking of becoming a Social Worker “I didn’t choose this profession, this profession chose me.” I did not wake up and intentionally set out to become a Social Worker and own my own mental health practice.
When I was six, I wanted to be a nurse. I found it easy to nurture and care for my younger siblings once they hurt themselves. At the age of nine, I wished to be a lawyer. I always admired their professional demeanor while in the courtroom. In high school, I remember taking a career interest survey and it said that I will be a social worker. I responded quickly with “No, I am not”. I just wanted to go to college, and I did. I attended a community college in St. Louis and pursued an Associate’s degree in Hospitality Management. At that time, I wanted to own a national chain of restaurants. I love trying different foods and the creativity that came with preparing different dishes.
I, then, moved to Chicago to pursue my bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. However, during the 2008 recession, businesses, especially those related to the hospitality industry, were cutting back. After struggling to secure employment in Chicago and becoming pregnant with my first child, I moved back to St Louis. Still dedicated to my education and my love for food, I pursued a degree in Dietetics at Fontbonne University. I struggled with chemistry and I could not pass the Organic Chemistry classes. Up against time and financial constraints, I changed my major to Family and Consumer Sciences.
At this point, I wanted a degree that would allow me to positively influence a weakness within my community and inspire individuals, families, and communities to be strong and to become self-sufficient. I was enrolled in the course, Strategies for Professional Practice, where I was assigned to complete a teaching experience in a local community organization. I chose to complete my teaching at the Father’s Support Center located in North St. Louis city. The Fathers’ Support Center is a program of services for men who are striving to be responsible fathers and committed to a strong family relationship. With this being my first time presenting, I felt nervous and unsure. I prepped and led a lesson on food budgeting topics including unit pricing and meal planning for a small group of single African American fathers. The participants were engaged, displayed enthusiasm by asking questions, and provided support for one another during the presentation. I felt proud, strong, and inspired by receiving that positive feedback. This experience is also where I was introduced to community mental health and it furthermore highlighted a strength that I did not know I had.
I graduated from Fontbonne University in December of 2013 with a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences and started working as a family resource advocate. I assisted families to become self-sufficient and achieve an optimal quality of life, yet my own quality of life was not as optimal. There was a conflict in every corner. My income seems to be always not enough to support myself and my daughter. I found no hope of reaching out for help. Frustrations of securing basic needs and securing babysitters in the evenings had late classes only added to my frustration. I noticed a cycle of issues affecting my peers, close friends, and family. I felt unproductive and this only added to a sense of hopelessness. Ultimately, I felt stuck. With these unfulfilling trials, I moved from St. Louis to Chicago.
I got to Chicago, and I was beyond scared yet I was excited. My daughter (5 years old then) and I moved to Chicago in August of 2014 without family or friends. I made it my mission to start over and create the opportunities, the environment, and the life I wanted for my child and I. I worked as a Family Support Worker for the Early Head Start/ Head Start Programs within Chicago’s South and Westside communities. Even though we set out to support both parent and child through early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive support services, the weekly ninety minutes home visits were just not enough. The activities set out to promote the parents’ ability to support the child’s development, yet the family has other interfering needs. Basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing were challenges for my families on a daily basis. () This most definitely showed me that more concentrated mental health services are needed. In order to serve my community in the way I saw fit, I applied to and graduated with a Masters in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Moreover, I always knew that I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know that I was going to help people in the way that I am helping people now. I received little hints along the way that I might be a great Social Worker, however, I tried to do everything else. So, yes Social Work chose me and here I am, living in Houston with Myisha Marie’s Counseling & Consulting.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No, not all. It has not been a smooth road! Blood, sweat and tears, I mean, blood, sweat, and REAL tears have been shed up to this point. Moreover, Social Work is not an easy line of work. We are working with and striving to empower complex individuals, families, and communities who are experiencing pain, suffering, or another vulnerability every day, every week, every month, and every year. This alone is not easy!
I created Myisha Marie’s Counseling & Consulting LLC after working hard at failed systems. I failed, made mistakes, I failed some more, worked jobs outside of my natural talents, and I failed some more. I often doubted my talents and capabilities, I cried, and often questioned if social work was the right line of work for me. Moreover, Myisha Marie’s Counseling & Consulting LLC was created to inspire; inspire myself and others that nothing has to be normal or traditional. You can create an authentic and healthy space for others and yourself.
As you know, we’re big fans of Myisha Marie’s Counseling & Consulting. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Myisha Marie’s Counseling & Consulting LLC is a mental health service that brings creativity to mental health in order to promote mental wellness. I specialize in treating depression as it relates to imposter syndrome, treating anxiety relating to perfectionism, and I also specialize in providing trauma informed mental health care.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Family, close friends, and my business mentor have been extremely supportive along the way. My support has cheered me on in their own special way. My support has held me accountable for achieving small and large goals. My support also provided emotional support when I had a bad day. Most importantly, they all motivated me to keep going at times when I wanted to give up.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/myishamarie_
_______ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/profile.php?id= 100063556415611 - Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/channel/ UCGR1FE4VZzKofNHhOhuEeYQ
Image Credits
Bella Lace Photography
