Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Demetrice Smith.
Dr. Smith, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My journey began a few years ago after healing from years of battling depression. I wanted to help others dealing with this issue so I began taking classes to get certified as a peer counselor. My success in being able to bring awareness and education through one-on-one coaching was one of the first steps to obtaining other training and coaching credentialing in order to broaden the overall understanding for others of what dealing with a mental health issue is really like and what effective solutions and resources are available for both individuals and families. My primary goal is to remove the stigma surrounding mental health through awareness, assessments, education, resources, and training.
I founded Creeping Vines Online initially with a focus on women’s mental health concerns and later expanded the conversation through a curriculum offering selections to include men’s mental health and youth mental health. Creeping Vines Online is designed to be a solution-bridge where we offer individual and group training classes, organizational and information-driven workshops, and resource and therapy and counseling recommendations.
Great, 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?
One of the biggest challenges in building a company focused on mental health was to generate a clear way to help people come forward and join the mental wellness conversation by understanding what mental illness is, differentiated from what it isn’t. It was evident that education was necessary in order to bring understanding and freedom so that people felt more comfortable having the conversation and getting the help they needed. The stigma surrounding mental illness is perpetuated primarily through lack of education and ignorance.
Another struggle was helping people understand the challenges of individuals with a mental illness. Depression and other mental illnesses are not something one just “get’s over” and creating empathy for those battling depression are critical to the healing process.
One bit of advice for young women starting their journey is: be consistent no matter how much push back or criticism you receive. Also, make sure you are passionate about what you do… believe it yourself first, and others will too.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Aside from my one-on-one individual coaching and success with counseling referrals, as well as the success I’ve had with customized training plans for companies wanting to educate their workforce on mental health, I am most proud of the work I have been able to do with law enforcement agencies across the state to help them recognize and respond more compassionately and safely to those with mental health challenges.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
Calm, Head Space, and Mood Notes are some of the helpful apps that I use to manage stress and maintain mindfulness and balance.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.creepingvinesonline.com
- Phone: 2144941927
- Email: demetrice@creepingvinesonline.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/creepingvinesonline
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creepingvinesonline/
- Twitter: @creeping_vines
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/demetrice.smith.54
Image Credit:
Demetrice Smith
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