Today, we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Patrice Dunn.
Hi Dr. Dunn, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am an African American girl whose mom had a PhD in Social Work and was an Associate Dean at The Ohio State University. My dad was a Physical Therapist who worked at the VA and held an MBA. I attended a Jewish daycare and preschool, a Lutheran Elementary, and annually attended an African summer camp.
Along with my two sisters, I remember when my parents decided to build a house in the suburbs. I was so happy to have my room, and I excitedly picked out everything purple for my room. Like our birth order, my room was in between my sisters. We grew up in an all-Black middle-class neighborhood and attended predominately White schools.
I started running track at age 6. I was very successful, but not sure I enjoyed it at first. I soon realized this was a way to connect with my dad, who revealed that I was the son he had never had. Every Saturday morning, he would wake up before the sun was up to race the neighborhood boys. I would win, and he would have bragging rights.
Thinking back on this, I wonder if this is where I started being a people pleaser. Please note this is not healthy behavior. I did get disqualified in my first official race. Something about it not being okay to get a headstart. After that, I never wanted to disappoint my dad.
I spent the next several decades trying to discover who I was supposed to be in this big world. I struggled with my racial identity and being told I was “acting White.” I did not fit the standard of beauty with my dark skin and kinky hair. Once I stopped running track in college, I found it difficult to find myself when I was no longer recognized as “Patrice the track star.”
With more than a decade in higher education, it was not until midway through the doctoral program that I found myself and my voice. I experienced mixed emotions about the fact that I was well into my 50s before I was comfortable being myself.
I now love the skin I am in and live a life unapologetic as an African American woman. As I developed my research interest, I became clear on my passion for the success of Black and African American women and girls experiencing predominately White spaces.
In addition to running my private practice, I am an Assistant Professor of Adult Education in Clinical Mental Health at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. I am committed to training counselors that will make a difference. I think I can sum it up best with a poem I wrote:
Do you see me now?
A Black woman, an educated Black woman
Doing big things, bigger than I imagined
Not doing it for me but for those young Black girls coming behind me
Do you see me yet?
Amazing Black women, my heroes who paved the way
Ella Baker, Rosa Parks, Ida B. Wells, bell hooks, my mom and my grandma
They used their voices and made sacrifices for me
I have picked up the torch their legacy lives on
They taught me to stand tall in the face of adversity
I have mastered interacting with people, Black and White
Initiating tough topics with a steady voice
I articulate my passion and make my point
Do you see me?
Gone are the days I accept being invisible
Gone are the days I allow you to fit me into your box of controlling images
Gone are the days that my voice will be silenced
Gone are the days that I accept not being invited to the table
Black woman, mother, sister, friend, Christian, educator, communicator, author, facilitator, dreamer, and change agent… I bet you see me now.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The struggle has been real. I grew up the typical middle child. I have a sister who is 4 years older and a sister who is 4 years younger. Being in the middle was tough. My sisters were much more compliant and obedient than I was.
I became rebellious for no other reason than I thought I could get away with it. Nothing illegal, just against what I was told to do. I got good grades in school, but it was not easy. What I have since discovered is that I have AD(H)D yet there was no such thing when I was a child. My fear of my dad was my Adderall. However, I had to work twice as hard. My oldest sister graduated at 16 and went to Stanford, and my little sister was the cute, bubbly cheerleader and homecoming queen.
I only applied to one college, Howard University, an HBCU, and I did not get into it initially. My test scores were low. My mom helped me write a letter, and I got in on probation. I earned straight As in my first semester but was forced to return home at the end of the year due to my parent’s divorce. It took me 9 years and two children later to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree. I was a single mom for 7 years. Times were hard, and during my final years in college, I was a recipient of food stamps and Section 8 housing.
My two boys were the next challenge I faced. Even though they are very different, both have AD(H)D and were not fond of school. They are very smart and are doing well now, but with homework and busy work, they were not fans. They struggled to make good decisions and understand the consequences attached to their behavior. I learned as a mom, we can do our best, but at the end of the day, they are responsible for their choices.
At one point, I was dealing with these two boys, raising a godson and goddaughter, managing my 23-year marriage, working full-time as a classroom teacher, and working on my Master’s degree in Counseling. After 10 years of working as a school counselor and running my private practice, I started the Doctoral Program in Counselor Education and Supervision at Texas Tech. Hands down, it was the hardest thing I have ever done. It stretched me intellectually, financially, spiritually, and personally and took 7 years to complete.
I joke that if there is a hard or long way to do something, I will find it. I strive for excellence and to be exceptional; however, I am aware that I am not an exception. We can all overcome hard things.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
If you were to ask my clients, they would tell you that I shoot it straight with no chaser. I am known for keepin’ it real. I counsel with the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I typically see clients aged 12 and up. Most of my clients are dealing with anxiety, depression, and life.
I think two things that set me apart are my sense of humor and my ability to encourage my clients. My life experiences have allowed me to be transparent with my clients, and therefore, I am more relatable. I office out of my home, and my clients report that it feels like being sitting in their friend’s living room, mission accomplished.
The other part of my business I pray I can resurrect post-COVID-19 and my doctoral program is the national speaking and consultation. I work with schools, churches, and corporations. Topics might range from parenting, developing positive relationships, cultural competency, stress and anxiety, and other topics as requested. I believe I have a message that is ready for a bigger stage.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I often say that I do not have a business-minded bone in my body. When I think back to my childhood, growing up in Ohio, I recall building a fort in our basement, which posed as our business, Masterpeice Posters Inc.
My little sister and our two neighbors would pull out the Fisher Price toy phone, the one with the eyes that roll around when you dial, and set up a drive-through window. We would pretend to take orders for pictures/posters that the customers would request.
We even held trainings on customer service and had staff meetings. You could not have told me 50 years ago that I would be running a business. For the past 20 years, I have run a successful full-time private counseling practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: patricedunn.com
- Instagram: @patricetruthdunn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrice.g.dunn?mibextid=LQQJ4
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-patrice-dunn-464556219
