Today we’d like to introduce you to Toyia Burgess.
Hi Toyia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story starts in Pittsburgh, PA where I was born and raised. I am the second oldest of five children and at age 17, my mother passed away leaving me with a three-month-old daughter. My life was in turmoil at that time and years later I would move to Buffalo, NY with three daughters aged three, eight and 10 years old. With a high school diploma, no permanent housing, limited finances, and no employment, I was not sure what I was going to do but I did know that I could get employment to start moving towards a better life. I must admit that it was a geographical move which, unbeknownst to me, would change the whole trajectory of my life.
In Buffalo, I joined a church where I became acquainted with its members who would become like family. The more of God’s word I learned, the more I realized what I was meant to become. It was at that time I also met an incredibly supportive man who would become my husband of 28 years prior to his passing in 2023. His patience and love for me and my children helped me view life differently.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My initial move to Buffalo was rough due to needing housing, employment, childcare, and stability for my children. We stayed at a friends’ home until I could secure our own apartment. Furthermore, I experienced challenges with self-esteem that I attempted to address through regular alcohol consumption.
Although I struggled with excessive alcohol use, I secured and maintained employment, supplemented by social service support. Nevertheless, my primary goal was to improve my life and strive for greater achievements for both me and my daughters. Things had to change so I needed to address the alcohol abuse. Which I did.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As time progressed, I returned to school and while I was employed at the local State Cancer hospital as a Patient Advocate’s Assistant, I discovered that Social Work (SW) was my calling. After pursuing and receiving a master’s degree in SW, I worked for a community agency for two years as an Addictions Counselor and it was there, I found my love working with those with substance abuse issues. While working in the community, I also secured a part-time position working for another hospital as a Medical Social Worker for Visiting Nurses. Afterwards, I resigned from both positions to work for another State agency within the Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as a Social Worker II.
Two years later, I resigned from the State of New York to work at the Veterans Administration (VA) in Buffalo with inpatient psychiatric patients. Subsequently I interviewed and secured a position in the Health Care for Homeless Veteran Program (HCHV) as a Substance Use Disorder Specialist (SUDS). This position would come full circle as we relocated to Fayetteville, NC’s VA in 2012 where I would continue to work in the HCHV Program with Veterans who were homeless experiencing mental health and substance abuse issues. The program and work with these Veterans were a significant career path for me and while I started as the “SUDS”, I would eventually become a Housing Urban Development/VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) case manager, then the Program Manager for HUD-VASH and finally the HCHV Program Coordinator until my retirement in June of 2024.
My 32-year journey working for the government and four years working in the community would not end there as I decided to pursue a long-time dream of private practice and in October 2025, my services will be to offer counseling and coaching to individuals who are ready to make life changes and need a little help.
My motto is, “While the world is full of sorrow, it is also full of overcoming it” (Unknown Author). Many people seek positive change and often need encouragement and belief in their abilities. I am that person.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
While being a member of my church and in school to obtain my Associates in Humanities, I became acquainted with Dr. Barbara Mattai. She would not only be my church sister but a mentor and my professor in undergraduate school. She was instrumental in me pursuing the higher-level degree in Social Work and she followed me and my career from undergraduate school through retirement from employment. She always maintains contact with me and is interested in my progress to this day.
In addition, encouragement to attend continuing educational activities and training afforded me the opportunity to meet and network with others in various fields within social work. This led to pursuing further training and certifications, including Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Trauma Certification, and Integrated Whole Health Coaching.
It is important to secure a mentor when making life and career decisions. I was fortunate to have a mentor and teacher who I trusted in my church; however, I have found that my work supervisors have also been instrumental in assisting me with career growth through supervision. This also includes the expertise from other supervisors whom I had the pleasure of working with.
