We recently had the chance to connect with Shanice Stephenson-Walcott and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Shanice, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me is really a balance of my God driven purpose and structure. I usually start my mornings with prayer and reflection to help me stay grounded before I start my day. After that, I check my schedule, review emails, and prepare for sessions, supervision meetings, or administrative work.
Most of my day is spent providing therapy, completing assessments, or supervising associate clinicians who are finding their voices as professionals. I also dedicate time to my PhD program in Counselor Education and Supervision, which keeps me connected to leadership, advocacy, and research in the counseling field.
In between all of that, I’m often brainstorming new ways to expand access to quality mental health services for the BIPOC community, while my evenings are usually for reflecting, and recharging so I can show up fully again the next day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Absolutely! My name is Shanice Stephenson-Walcott, and I’m the founder of Pivotal Breakthrough Counseling Services. I’m also a PhD candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision. where my research focuses on counselors’ experiences with family involvement in the treatment of individuals living with severe mental illness.
My work is deeply rooted in faith, cultural awareness, and community advocacy. I’m passionate about providing therapy and supervision through a lens that honors both clinical integrity and spiritual wholeness, especially when working within different community. My goal is to create spaces where people feel seen, supported, and equipped to grow, not just in their mental health but in their overall purpose and identity.
What makes my practice unique is how it integrates faith-based principles with evidence-based approaches like CBT, ACT, EMDR, and SFBT. Beyond clinical work, I also mentor emerging clinicians, and develop ideas that bridge the gap between families, counselors, and systems of care because I truly believe healing happens within connection, not isolation.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world tried to define me, I was, and still am a child of God. The world didn’t need to tell me who I was because God had already established that long before I ever tried to fit into any title or role. My identity has always been rooted in His purpose for me, not in the expectations of others.
That truth continues to guide how I show up in every area of my life as a therapist, supervisor, scholar, wife and woman of faith. It reminds me that my calling isn’t about striving to become what the world says I should be, but about walking confidently in who God has already called me to be because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, there were moments when I came close to giving up, especially when life started shifting in ways I had prayed and hoped for, yet not everyone around me understands it. As God began to open doors and align my life with His purpose, I noticed that some relationships changed. Family didn’t always agree, and this, I thought, was why my friends slowly faded. That was hard, because you expect the people who love you to celebrate your growth, but I realized that elevation required separation.
Even through those seasons, I kept going. I reminded myself that if God allowed certain changes to happen, they were necessary for where He was taking me. My faith has always been my anchor. When I felt tired or alone, I held on to the truth that God’s plan is greater than my comfort, and that has kept me moving forward every single time.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, 100%! The person people see publicly is the same person I’ve always been, even before the titles and roles came along. Who I am was never built around positions or achievements. It was in my faith, obedience and compassion. Those qualities have guided me long before I ever became a clinician, supervisor, or doctoral student.
I’m blessed to have a husband who reminds me of that every day. He’s seen me at many stages already. Whether I’m confident or overthinking because I’m always considering others, he encourages me to keep showing up as myself. His love and support helps me stay grounded in who I’ve always been, not just who I’m becoming. That’s why the public version of me is real, because it’s not a version at all. It’s simply me.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I lived with unwavering faith even when the world leaned toward what was trendy, or popular, I stayed rooted in who God called me to be. I never wanted to blend in or compromise my values just to fit what made sense to others. My goal has always been to walk in obedience, even when it didn’t align with what was comfortable or expected.
I hope the story people tell is that I lived boldly for God, that I loved deeply, and that I poured into others from a place of truth and grace, because they can both exist. I want them to know, that through every season, whether as a clinician, supervisor, student, or woman of faith, I never lost sight of my foundation.
If people remember anything about me, I want it to be that I stood firm in my faith, lived with integrity, and trusted God more than I feared judgment. Because at the end of the day, I don’t live to please the world, I lived to please Him.
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