Today we’d like to introduce you to LA Adkins.
Hi LA, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In order to tell my story, I kind of have to take you back to my beginning, to my hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was born to two teenage parents. My father and mother were ages 14 and 15 respectively when I was born. I am the oldest of seven children, and while I’ve always known who he was, my father was not in my life consistently when I was growing up. I came into this world with an expectation that I would be loved and protected. Considering that I had two very young parents, one of which relocated to the other side of the country, my expectations were unrealistic. While we didn’t have a name for it then, I was most definitely an introvert growing up. I loved spending time alone, listening to music, journaling, and writing poetry. I found refuge in the words and influence of Tupac Shakur, my greatest of all time (GOAT), whom I then saw as my only friend and the only one who I felt understood me at that time.
I grew up with a deep desire to connect with others, make friends who could really see and understand me, and have people in my life that I could truly trust. This longing caused me to stray away from who I was authentically, the sensitive soul that I’ve always been. I remember fighting (sometimes literally) to be accepted and understood and even pretending to be someone that I wasn’t because of my need for the acceptance, love, validation, and security that I wasn’t getting at home.
Between having to help care for my six younger siblings and working a job during many of my formative years, I was focused on survival more than any child should ever have to be. At one point, my environment at home became so tumultuous that I was sent to live with different family members, which means I didn’t have the stability I needed. I always looked forward to turning 18 and being out on my own because I thought that was when I would meet my problems’ end, that life would be pure bliss once I was an adult and could do whatever I wanted to do. The disappointment would wake me up from this dream because I was never equipped with the tools I needed to navigate this world or on a basic level, to value and love myself. The deep longing for acceptance that I mentioned earlier would show itself in many of the friendships I would form, relationships I would end up in, and jobs I would pursue and stay in.
Not much changed after I had reached adult age because as the saying goes, “Wherever you go, there you are.” Needless to say, the same longing followed me all the way to North Carolina where I relocated to in 2015. It wasn’t until more recently that something clicked inside of me and guided me to a place of accepting the following: “Nobody is coming to save you. It has to be you.” Because what I was seeking externally didn’t exist inside of me first, I was never going to receive any of it from anyone or anything else no matter what I did.
I have since then been guided to healing practices such as ancestral work, fasting, inner child work, meditation, journaling, shadow work, subconscious reprogramming, and yoga, among many others, to support me in deepening my connection with and pure love for myself. These practices have supported me in going inward first and creating a home inside of me that I could always come back to, that no one could ever take away from me. That is how “Reconnect With You” came to be and the short(er) version of how I got to where I am today. I truly feel that Reconnect With You is a part of my soul mission and the work I agreed to carry out this lifetime. My hope and intention are that anyone who gets to know me, meets my energy, or hears my story will take intentional steps to connect with themselves on a deep level so that self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-love are always at the foundation of their wellness and well-being.
My name is LA (el-ay), which means “(L)iving (A)uthentically.” Its meaning came to me during one of my long-term fasts last year. Because I don’t like to lead with my official or professional titles, I’ll share with you first that I’m a champion of solitude, a creative, a storyteller, a healing and wellness guide, and a spiritual leader and teacher. I’m also a licensed and practicing therapist, a Mindfulness Meditation Guide, and a Sound Therapist. I’m known as ‘The Holistic Wellness Therapreneur,’ which I feel captures all the products and services I offer, including individual therapy and coaching, sound therapy, public speaking, and candles, all of which are focused on holistic wellness. I have fun and practice self-care with karaoke, mixology, spending time in nature, watching cartoons, writing poetry, and yoga.
With all my years of lived experience and over ten years of professional experience, I am a subject matter expert in mental health, and I aim to be a pioneer in holistic wellness. I’ve had the honor of delivering a TEDx talk about the power of solitude in healing from loss, shame, and trauma. I’ve also published a self-exploration gratitude journal titled Reconnect With You. I firmly believe that one’s relationships with others are both an extension and reflection of the relationship one has with oneself. Whether I’m giving a talk on stage, facilitating a coaching or therapy session, or holding space during a sound bath, I am very passionate and serious about working with individuals to help them better understand and more fully accept themselves.
Many folx that know me personally know that I’m not succinct by nature so because this part of me is the essence of my authenticity, I won’t apologize for it. I do hope though that what I shared here has helped you learn more about who I am and has given you some meaningful context for how I got here and why I do what I do.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being a full-time entrepreneur has been quite the journey for me. Like any journey, a lot has happened along the way, all of which has taught me some very valuable lessons about myself and how to better navigate my inner and outer worlds.
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my journey is fear. I recently posted a video on my YouTube channel about how to be with fear because it is still something that I struggle with sometimes. I encourage folx to “be with fear” rather than try to manage it or overcome it because fear is not something you need to control. Fear may always be present in some aspect of your journey, but you get to decide how you react to it and how much you allow it to dictate the decisions you make. One of the best strategies that has supported me in my relationship with fear is knowing what it feels and looks like when it shows up so that I can acknowledge it. In a weird way, you have to become friends with fear. Whenever fear shows up, I’ll often ask myself, “How can I be okay with where I am right now and accept this as just a moment in time?”
Another challenge I’ve had to contend with is attachment, such as trying to hold on to outdated versions of myself or old ways of being and trying to cling to things. Wanting to attach to anyone or anything can make the journey challenging because the very nature of life is all about change. Things are always changing, including you. I consistently give a kind reminder to myself to continue to be flexible and be willing to release and let go when the time comes.
Lastly, I’ll share that isolation and lack of community can accompany being a full-time entrepreneur or being self-employed full-time, especially at first. The entrepreneurial journey is such a unique one, and it can sometimes feel like being in a world of your own. As you are talking to and sharing with others what it is that you do and what your day-to-day looks like, it can be tough because most of them just won’t get it. It’s important to be intentional about seeking and building an aligned community for yourself, which is not something that I had to work as hard at when I was working at previous jobs. Some of the ways I’ve done this is by setting a goal to attend at least two networking events per month and joining community groups and listservs that I can connect with regularly or on an ongoing basis.
All of these challenges have given me an abundance of experiences along the way, and while I started this process with an immense amount of trust in myself, the journey has taught me to trust myself even more. It’s given me myriad opportunities to test that trust in myself while also allowing my values of authenticity, autonomy, integrity, justice, and transparency to guide me and shape how I show up in the world.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Reconnect With You, PLLC is a purpose and values-driven wellness brand and a private holistic mental health practice empowering individuals on their unique journeys toward holistic wellness and well-being. Reconnect With You is a mantra which focuses overall on supporting you in improving and better prioritizing your relationship with yourself. Reconnect With You is also an invitation to create a home inside yourself, come back home to yourself if you have gone astray, and to reclaim your courage to tap into your inner guidance and resources. We offer individual therapy and coaching, sound therapy for groups and corporations/organizations, and public speaking services (e.g., keynote speeches). We specialize in supporting folx with life transitions, identity exploration, self-worth practices, and spirituality.
Our mission focuses on inspiring and nurturing the inner environment and journey, helping folx establish a loving, enduring connection with themselves. We do this by providing compassionate guidance, holding sacred space, and equipping those we work with and support with the strategies, tools and wisdom to navigate their inner environment. My vision for Reconnect With You is in alignment with my life purpose and soul mission, which I feel is to help create a world where every individual embraces their inner essence, cultivating a deep and unwavering relationship with themselves.
I am the principal practitioner at Reconnect With You, PLLC, and I approach my work with clients by holding space for honest self-reflection, increasing both their self-awareness and self-acceptance. At Reconnect With You, we use both evidence-based and holistic wellness interventions and practices. My hope and intention for everyone I work with is that they learn new skills and practices to embark on their inner journey on their own when it is time for us to part ways and that they are able to maintain their commitment to themselves beyond our work together. One of the most important things to me in my work with clients is that they feel empowered every step of the way. While I’m always honored and grateful to hold space for others and to walk alongside folx in their healing and wellness journey for however long our connection lasts, I never want anyone to become dependent on the support of Reconnect With You in order to continue healing or to be well. I want folx to get whatever they need while we’re working together and to trust in themselves and their capabilities to build on the foundation we’ve set together for whatever lies ahead in their journey.
What sets Reconnect With You apart is our focus on inner work, and in placing the emphasis on improving oneself in a more than superficial way, we guide you back home to yourself and to your authenticity. Our work encompasses multiple aspects and dimensions of wellness, and our approaches are backed and supported by both research and wisdom. Because we are run by a licensed therapist who has over ten years of professional experience working in public schools, non-profit settings, the legal field, higher education, and both in-state and federal government, we bring a rich set of experiences and skills to all we do. We also have signature sound therapy sessions that we offer, and we have a signature corporate wellness sound therapy series that we created to support folx with issues such as burnout, creative blocks, difficulty focusing, high stress, and low productivity.
Whether it’s on stage during a talk, facilitating a sound bath, creating candle companions, or leading a one-on-one therapy or coaching session, we have found a way to balance love and accountability and hold compassionate space in all we do. We are currently open to taking on new opportunities for our individual coaching, sound therapy, and public speaking services. We look forward to connecting soon, but in the meantime RECONNECT WITH YOU! 😉
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
In astrology, my sun sign is Sagittarius. Sagittarius is ruled by the planet of Jupiter, which is the planet of expansion and good fortune. Sagittarians are known as “the lucky ones” of the zodiac. All of this to say that one would think that luck has played a major role in my journey, but given my current beliefs and what I’ve experienced up until this point, I want to share the role that trusting my inner voice and intuition has played in my life and business. I’ve always had a very deep connection to my intuition. I’ve strengthened that connection over the years, and I use intuitive guidance to support me in making decisions and figuring out the most aligned direction, including and sometimes especially in work. If something feels “off” or just doesn’t feel right, I tune in to that.
Rather than focusing on luck, whether good or bad, I want to acknowledge the support of my spiritual team. I must give honor to my ancestors. While they may not be here physically any longer, our spiritual connection remains, and I’ve received guidance from them that has supported me in my life, including how I’ve navigated the entrepreneurial journey. When I speak of the higher power I believe in and the interconnectedness of all things, I refer to it as “the Universe.” Me and the Universe are homies. I’ve learned to read the signs and recognize resistance, or in other words, when something is just not intended to work out.
I truly believe that what is for me flows to me. I attract it based on my energy; I try not to force anything. This includes business opportunities, collaborations, or partnerships. I had a professional experience last year that I beat myself up about for a very long time. I just couldn’t let it go. What it taught me is that there is no such thing as a missed opportunity. I can’t miss whatever is intended for me. If something I was hoping for does not work out in the way that I want or feel like I need it to, it wasn’t supposed to at that time or maybe not at all. Maybe there’s something better and bigger on the way that I just can’t see yet. One of the affirmations in my affirmations journal that I refer back to often is “Everything is always working out for my highest good no matter what it looks like at the time.”
I could very easily not be living and breathing right now, and I don’t take that lightly. I certainly sense and trust the divine covering and protection over my life and how it’s unfolded. I’ve had so much happen in my life that I don’t question things much anymore. I think my journey has been much less about luck and more so about tuning into the guidance and messages I receive, which help to guide my decision-making and steps I take. Some folx are of the belief that if you can’t explain or intellectualize something that it isn’t real or it doesn’t exist, but that’s not true for me. There truly are messages for us everywhere if we pay attention and if we are open to receiving them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.
reconnectwithyou.org/ - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/ reconnectwithyoupllc?igsh= MWVuZ2x1ZWtrNHNkcQ%3D%3D&utm_ source=qr - Linkedin: https://www.
linkedin.com/in/justcallmela? utm_source=share&utm_campaign= share_via&utm_content=profile& utm_medium=ios_app - Youtube: https://youtube.com/@
reconnectwithyou?si= 4oUPO7OTYrfbigIx - Other: https://www.
solitudescents.com/product/ the-reconnect-with-you-bundle
Image Credits
Bethlehem Dolicho
Bedlam
Derrick Beasley
Destinee Tate
Sundara Spirit Photography
Dynae Saba
