Meet Shae Ivie-Williams of Shae Nicole

I would have never imagined that I would have became a counselor, but I don’t believe anything happens coincidentally. All I knew growing up is that I loved to learn and I wanted to help people. Growing up was difficult for me when I look back on my journey. I didn’t know what I had experienced was so common for people in the black culture. Being belittled by my parents, not being validated, and downright emotional abuse. All I could think about was, I don’t want my children to feel this way when I have a turn to parent. I want them to have a different experience than me. I didn’t know much about parenting myself, but I knew that something had to change. A lightbulb went off for me when I took my first psychology class in college. I thought I was supposed to be a pharmacist but that class got me hooked and I couldn’t let go. I wanted to learn the reasons behind why people do what they do. I wanted to soak it up. I went on to obtain my bachelor’s in psychology and ended up with a master’s in both psychology and counseling. I knew that I really want to help my community and my culture. I want those who experienced what I have gone through to heal and grow. I became hell-bent on learning all that I could about trauma and how generational trauma unfolds. I now specialize in trauma as a mental health therapist helping women break unhealthy generational cycles to rewrite not only their narratives but for their families and communities, because once they understand and know better ways to communicate with one another, parent and show compassion they can help generations to come to do the same.

Oh no, this has not been a smooth road whatsoever. I’ve overcome domestic violence, struggling as a single mother all while working multiple jobs and going to school full time. As well as, not allowing the things others said or had assumed about me bring me down. They were all difficult to get through. However, the main struggle I faced was my own thoughts. I had difficulty getting past the thoughts in my head. “I’m not good enough.” “I can’t do this.” “What will people think?” “I’m a single mother, do I matter?” “Does my story matter?” However, once I realized that these thoughts came from others in my life as I grew up, I was able to decipher them from my own true thoughts and what I wanted to become. I know now that all those negative things I was told I succumbed to and it became apart of my story. I got my own help, found strength in asking for help and got therapy myself. After I worked on overcoming my low self-esteem, struggles with confidence and self-worth, I was able to get out of my own way to build myself up to rise to the occasion to help other people that needed my help.

I specialize in helping women heal from past hurt, trauma, and pain. I help them recognize and become aware of generational patterns and how they can start to build something new for themselves and their family. I am proud of being able to bring a different perspective to trauma with the women that I help. I have made it my mission to help women, marginalized populations and LGBT+ to have access to appropriate trauma care that they may not have access to otherwise. I am able to set myself apart from other therapists to work with clients in a unique way and that is by making sure I have the most current and effective trauma treatment training as well as ensuring that I have my own ongoing therapy and mentors to guide me through my own journey. Without my ongoing growth and healing as a professional and individual, I don’t believe that I would be effective with my clients. I would never ask my clients to do something that I would not do myself.

I personally define success as being able to go after what you are passionate about. Success is measured by knowing you are doing something you love or waking up excited to do what you do. Being able to turn those dreams into reality, asking for help along the way and forgiving myself if I make mistakes. Success is a winding path with many ups and downs. There will be failures, but after that, I have to get up and try again. I would have never gotten where I am if I gave up. I would have never gotten to the point of helping other women like myself if I gave up. So for me, waking up every day excited to use my personal and professional experiences to help other women, not giving up on them or myself and seeing the growth that comes from their healing is my definition of my personal success.