Today we’d like to introduce you to Kadeisha Bonsu, MDiv, MSW, LCSW.
Hi Kadeisha, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I never imagined becoming a therapist and I for sure never thought I’d launch my own private practice. Nevertheless, my life experiences have added up to this moment, and my private practice is set to launch on August 2, 2022. I’m also the host of a lovely podcast for Black, Christian Moms called Hagar’s Daughters.
You could say that my podcast was my first exploration of what has now developed into my specialty and population of interest, perinatal and black maternal mental health.
I like to say, I am concerned with and treat Black moms and all those they love and are loved by. I say this because if you take care of the interests of a Black mama (those she cares for) then you will have taken care of her needs as well.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Getting out of my own way is my biggest challenge. Sometimes it can feel like everyone else is cheering me on and believes in my ideas and vision more than I do. Nevertheless, over time I have learned to get in my corner too. There are days that I don’t want to do things, there are days that I want to give up, but I have learned that those days are a normal part of the journey, not a decisive part of the journey. By this I mean, I don’t believe every thought and feeling I have when it comes to building my business. Sometimes you have to sit with things and let them stew and that goes for the lofty, grand ideas, as well as the moments where I’m ready to call it quits. More times than not when I’m having a hard moment it passes and I am ready to get back on the path the next day.
It also helps that I have a support team. There are several individuals in my life that give me pep talks when I can’t pep talk myself and they remind me of my “why”. I have found that vulnerability allows me to navigate the bumps in the road. I have had to be vulnerable enough to share my story with others and the gift that this has been is that they offer me accountability and help me course correct when I veer off the path.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the owner of a new private practice, Expect – Healing and Wellness Center, PLLC where I specialize in perinatal mental health/Maternal Mental Health and Spiritually-Informed Therapy. I see a range of different populations, but my work centers the experiences of marginalized and oppressed populations by holding space for their stories and journeys toward mental health and wellness.
What I am most proud of is being a mom and partner. My family is my everything, and if it wasn’t for the birth of my son, who made me a mother, I do not think I would have birthed Expect – Healing and Wellness Center, PLLC or my podcast, Hagar’s Daughters, a podcast for Black, Christian Moms. So my success and vocation are directly tied to who I am personally.
What sets me apart in this field is that I get it! I too have sat on the couch and worked towards recovery and my own mental health and wellness; actually, I still sit on the couch, every week. I believe in the power of having a good fit therapist. You may be thinking, okay that’s not unique, a lot of therapists go to therapists. Well, I am a therapist who has lived my own journey in therapy way ahead of ever wanting to become a therapist. I am a therapist who lives (and thrives) with a chronic mental illness. I used to think this disqualified me from being in the profession, but now I know that it’s my sauce. When a client comes to me, I know intimately what it is to struggle and fight towards wellness and a centered, and whole life. When I say “you can be well,” I’m not saying it because I was taught it, I’m saying it because I lived it (the journey to wellness).
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I’d say I’ve had a life lesson reinforced – tomorrow is not promised to anyone. I learned that lesson in life through a series of losses at a young age. In the pandemic, I lost loved ones due to COVID, I lost friendships due to time and distance, I lost a sense of community in raising my young child. Knowing that tomorrow is not promised made me be intentional about valuing the time we do have, even in the little things. Now sometimes I don’t get that right, but I do try to remember to cherish the moments. Ultimately, with respect to my business, this lesson couldn’t be more timely. I could continue to put it off and say “Nope, not for me,” but instead, I started asking “Why not me? Why not now?” Yes, sometimes I want to wait (ie. after the recession, once I have this, after I achieve this, etc.) but, I’m launching because, I’ll never be 100% ready, and tomorrow is not promised to anyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/kadeisha-bonsu-durham-nc/941081
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expectpllc/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/hagarsdaughters/
Image Credits
Affirm Photography IG: @affirm_photography FB @imagesbyaffirm
