Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazmyn Nobles
Jazmyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I didn’t always have to want to be a mental health professional, but once I found my way, the road to becoming a mental health professional seemed nearly impossible. I attended the Illustrious Prairie View A&M University for my undergraduate degree in psychology, but the transition to graduate school was difficult. I attended Southern Methodist University and faced more adversity than ever. I stayed the course for my BIPOC community to be able to receive the care they need from someone who looks similar to them. After many direct therapy hours, training, and plenty of documentation, I was able to become independently licensed in Texas, with two other states pending. My main goal has always been to educate Black and Brown people about the impacts mental health has on their lives. Breaking stigmas of mental health in BIPOC communities is so important to me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, the road has not always been smooth. In fact, there have been plenty of struggles on my journey. As a mental health professional, it is hard to keep yourself intact while listening to many deep traumas, many I could relate to. I had to learn to keep all my shit intact to truly facilitate growth with my clients. I had to really sit in my own space and figure out issues, biases, and traumas and truly address them. I had to do some deep work, and it wasn’t easy.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, I have an Instagram page @thejourneywithjazz, and I am a part of a private practice, Mind Body Soul Counseling. The Instagram page started as a page to document my journey through grad school and thought-provoking posts about being Black in a white-dominated profession. Once I gained my associate license, it bloomed into clients finding me and a way for them to inquire about services.
I offer individual, couple, and family therapy. I see people for a multitude of reasons: stress, life transitions, behavioral issues, sexual concerns, relationship issues, trauma, anxiety, boundary setting, co-parenting, and depression. In my approach, I believe in focusing on the client’s needs and figuring out what has been working but, more importantly, what has not. I enjoy helping the client increase their knowledge and awareness of ineffective patterns and replacing them by implementing more positive patterns in their routines.
I think what sets me apart from others is how I present in sessions. I honestly took a while to find my presentation style based on what I was taught, but authenticity fit me the most. I am a Black woman, and my sessions don’t always look like what many consider a normal session and I am okay with that. I tell my clients finding the right therapist is like dating, it might take a while to find your right match, but when you do, its such a great feeling!
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Hmmm, that is hard. The most important lesson you’ve learned along my journey is that I am needed and that I make a difference. I don’t think many therapists realize how needed they are, especially as therapists in marginalized communities. The industry was not too saturated for me, despite my initial beliefs. I have been able to get clients and offer services with minimal issues, and I tried to tell myself I wouldn’t for so long. I am glad I was wrong!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mindbodysoulcounseling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejourneywithjazz/
