Today we’d like to introduce you to Deondra Crippen.
Deondra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have to start by saying how grateful I am to even be where I am now, because if you had told me years ago that this was possible, I wouldn’t have believed you. I honestly didn’t think it was still in the cards for me. So, I thank God for how He can take the good, bad, and ugly to make my story what it is today. When I was in high school, I had my future all planned out… I thought. They say, if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plan. I just knew I was going to go to an HBCU in Louisiana, play in their band, join a sorority, become a doctor in the mental health field, and live in Florida. Let’s just say, my life path looked nothing like that. The closer I got to high school ending, the more my outlook for the future changed. Even as a kid, I knew we weren’t in the best financial position to cover the cost for college or all the extras that came with going. Although I had options for scholarships due to my grades, everything in me felt like college was still out of the question. I knew that other things would be needed to sustain me while I was away (e.g. transportation, living expenses, etc.). Looking back as an adult, I realize there could have been other options available, but at the time I didn’t take the time to check.
After talking with a friend about joining the military on the buddy system, we spoke to a few different recruiters from various branches. I signed up for the Air Force Delayed Enlistment Program my junior year in high school, because I knew it would provide the resources I needed to take care of myself, help at home, and go to school. I shipped out not long after graduation. While on active duty, I got married and started a family. However, due to the demands of my career field and being dual military, I made the choice to separate after my enlistment to provide more stability for our children. After a few failed attempts to go back to school, moving with the military a couple more times, and starting over again career-wise, I gave up on pursuing my dreams. I worked to help with the household and settled into my life as a mom and wife. That is, until I talked to my best friend on the phone one day. She pushed me to think beyond my present moment and to go back to dreaming again. She also challenged my excuses and pointed me back to God by asking me to write my vision and to be as specific as possible. Then, I was asked to put it in my bible in the book of Habakkuk 2:2-3. I agreed to try it and took steps to get started at a university close to me that offered in person and virtual class options. With the support of my family, I signed up for my first class at the age of 31 years old. I finished my Bachelor of Applied Science degree at the age of 34 and my Master of Arts degree at the age of 36.
I revisited my vision along the way and saw how God had started answering the prayers I had written for me and my family. That gave me motivation to keep going and to keep believing for greater. I did take a little break in between to regroup and to study for my licensure exam, which I took at age 37. Then, I took another break, which was helpful and needed so I could refocus on what came next. I later applied for my temporary license to practice under supervision at age 39, and then resigned from my Senior Contracting Officer position to pursue my career as a therapist, full time in private group practices. As time passed, I began to build my client caseload, and learn from hands on experience, supervision, and colleague collaboration. During that time, I also co-authored a book on grief and loss with a friend and colleague. It was created to provide a resource for a grief group I developed and was leading at the time. Later, after going through a leadership program for women veterans, signing up for a business coaching and mentorship program, and enduring some major losses personally, I prayed and made the decision to go into private practice. I founded Rooted in Purpose Counseling™, PLLC in 2023, and officially began seeing clients in March 2024 when I was 45 years old. It was a long road. I made it a point to share my age because it is so easy to think that age matters when it comes to pursuing your dreams. However, as long as you have breath in your body and believe it’s possible, it can still be done. I feel like God developed so much in me during this process, and my faith has been stronger in ways I never imagined since then. He reminded me that delay did not mean denial… and that He would restore the years.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not! It has not been an easy road at all, especially starting off with little to no clients. I feel like there were so many challenges along the way. After talking to my husband, I made the choice to stop working during undergrad to speed up the process of finishing school. When you make the decision to walk away from your job that is helping sustain the household, that can cause some issues. Although my husband and I knew that it was for a bigger plan, and we believed God for something greater at the finish line, it still put a big strain on things… including our relationship at times. We had to adjust our budget, and we had to make necessary cuts to things that we would typically do with the kids, as well as each other. It’s not easy explaining to your kids that we can’t do some of the same things we used to. It’s also not easy when life happens and new needs arise, but the funds are low. Not to mention, when I initially signed up for my master’s program, I had to drop all my classes because we were scheduled to relocate to another base. That almost derailed my graduate degree before I even got started. However, the transfer was later canceled, so I was able to start the following quarter. In addition to that, I also faced the struggle of not being accessible like I was before, because there was not much free time.
Going to school meant spending time in class, writing research papers, doing other homework assignments, and being away from my kids. I went back to work full time as a Contracting Officer to offset the financial burden for daily needs and college expenses for our children, which limited quality time even more. Not only did I have to fulfill my role as a wife and mom, but I had college requirements to maintain as well. I had to do the usual homework, papers, attend class, commit to internship hours to qualify for graduation, and prepare to pass finals, comprehensive, and licensure exams. I also started my day at 4:30 AM to get to work by 6:30 AM. That means it was Team No Sleep all the way. I missed a few school programs, senior meetings for our middle child who was preparing to graduate, significant moments to help with college applications, and leisure time with my family. My husband was very supportive, because he stood in the gap so many days and nights to ensure things were taken care of, but it was difficult. Spending time with my family means the world to me, and it was heartbreaking to not have that.
I would check in with the kids periodically to see what they thought about things. We would always say to one another, “it’s a big sacrifice, for a small amount of time, to achieve the goal.” They told me they understood, but I could see the shift in our connection along the way, and I felt ALLLLL the mom guilt. I missed being with them and I knew they missed me too. They weren’t afraid to tell me that either. However, I welcomed their honesty because it was important for them to know what they thought mattered to me. Kids can be very resilient, but I know the weight of life gets heavy for them too. So, there were a lot of exhausting and tearful days and nights. It took a lot of prayers and support from my loved ones to not quit.
We’ve been impressed with Rooted in Purpose Counseling™, PLLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Rooted in Purpose Counseling™, PLLC is a mental health organization that serves a diverse clientele; however, we specialize in helping Black and Hispanic/Latina business and veteran women, 18 and older, begin to transform the effects of intergenerational trauma and dysfunction. Intergenerational trauma is when the impact of unresolved psychological, emotional, and physiological pain is passed from one generation to the next. That means that even if you weren’t directly exposed to the trauma, you could still be affected by the lingering cycles of dysfunction it leaves behind. Intergenerational trauma can stem from experiences of abuse, dysfunctional family cycles, systemic oppression and racism, natural disasters, displacement, and more. We know the weight that women of color carry daily, as well as the disparities that exist when it comes to receiving adequate care. At Rooted in Purpose Counseling™, PLLC, our mission is to provide a space for our clients that promotes authentic connection, compassion, and understanding. We use a holistic approach that deals with the whole person – mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Also, being a veteran with over 13 years of Federal service and almost 30 years in the military community, I am very passionate about ensuring women veterans are included in the population we serve, due to the added pressures the mission can bring.
Our name speaks to our specialty, because it is our desire to help our clients become more aware of the patterns they are rooted in. The things we are exposed to in life, including normalized behavior patterns within our family, have a way of shaping us even when we aren’t fully aware of it. It impacts the way we handle conflict, parenthood, and communication. It affects our identity and view of ourselves (e.g. Who am I? Am I enough? What makes me worthy?). It can also impact our view of the world and how safe and secure we feel inside, in life, and how we nurture our closest relationships. Additionally, our historical experiences are reflected in how we express and/or suppress our needs. Other effects can consist of living in survival mode, operating from a place of high functioning anxiety and depression, ineffectively dealing with grief and loss, as well as continuously silencing our voices, living perfectionistic and performative lifestyles, and doing it all while our mood is dysregulated. We live hyper-independent and more. Our desire is to help our clients break free from the generational chaos and dysfunction that tend to run in families, so they can begin transforming the cycle of pain that they’ve held onto silently.
We currently provide personalized services addressing the following specialties: abandonment challenges, abuse/neglect, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, intergenerational dysfunction, intergenerational trauma, relationship challenges, spiritual growth, and stress management. We accept most major insurance plans through Headway, which currently include Ascension (Smart Health), Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Carelon Behavioral Health, Cigna, Oscar Health, Oxford, Quest Behavioral Health, United Medical Resources (UMR), and United Healthcare. We hope to expand this offering in the future to include additional insurance panels. We also contract with CenterStone Military Services, which is a resource provided through the Wounded Warrior Program. Additionally, we accept vouchers from The Loveland Foundation or will provide a superbill for reimbursement for approved program participants. For those who prefer to use private pay options instead, this is also available. We are currently in the process of expanding our service offerings to include speaking engagements, workshops, and digital products.
Brand wise, I am most proud of our logos because they both honor three very important parts of my life: my grandmother, my mother, and my relationship with God. Each detail is reflective of something significant pertaining to those three things. As for what sets us apart… I would have to say the population we serve, our framework, and just the fact that our lived experiences are unique. Being a survivor of trauma myself, I know that nothing we ever go through is wasted. No one can creatively draw from those experiences or connect with others the exact same way that we do. So, we bring our expertise, God given gifts, and overall individuality to the therapeutic process to promote empowerment and overall mental wellness.
What matters most to you?
That has such a layered answer. I’ll answer it with this… What matters most to me is that I live my life in a way that reflects who God is and who He created me to be. I want to bring that to every area of my life, including how I show up as a parent, grandparent, and the legacy that I leave for them. I know that our time here on earth is limited. I also know that we are here for a purpose that goes far beyond our personal life story or what we can see with our eyes. So, the way I live my life isn’t just about me, and it doesn’t just affect me. It matters how I show up. My “why” for a lot of things has always been my spiritual walk and my family. Even when it comes to some of the choices I have made in life. I haven’t always gotten it right, but I do my best to take accountability when I don’t and to be intentional about how I move forward. I want to know that I gave my best to the assignments God entrusted to me so I can hear well done when that time comes. I also want to know that I gave my best to my family. I want to leave a legacy for my children, their children, and the generations to come that allows them to flourish and thrive… one that demolishes the generational curses.
Pricing:
- Individual Intake: $140.00
- Individual Follow-up: $120.00
- Couples Intake: $160.00
- Couples Follow-up: $140.00
- Speaking Engagement and Workshops: Request a Quote
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rootedinpurposecounseling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedinpurposecounselingpllc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DpoyZW8UT/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deondra-crippen
- Other: https://linktr.ee/rootedinpurposecounselingpllc
